


The Ape-Man of the Jungle

by love_a_sexy_trash_can



Category: Free!
Genre: Aiichiro and Momotarou are primatologists, Baboons! Asahi Kisumi and Hayato but they're kind of minor, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Gorillas! Shizuru and Romio, Haru is an artist, Haruka as Jane, Hippo! Ayumu, I Had To, Inspired by @barbaaritha96 on Twitter, M/M, Makoto as Tarzan, Makoto is a troublemaker you mean my aesthetic, Nagisa as Terk, Ran and Ren are twin gorillas, Rei as Tantor, Snakes! Ikuya and Hiyori, Sousuke is like Clayton but also not and he's gonna get married, They all cute as HECK, her art is amazing, okay?, rifles, tarzan!au, y'all should follow her
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-27
Updated: 2018-12-26
Packaged: 2019-08-21 03:19:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 21,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16568633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/love_a_sexy_trash_can/pseuds/love_a_sexy_trash_can
Summary: In the jungles of Africa, there is a young man raised with gorillas. When a group of humans disembarks for scientific, artistic, and other personal reasons, the identity of the young man is questioned as he must discover who he truly is, where he came from, and why his heart races for the oceanic-eyed man who cannot stop drawing him.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello and welcome to a new fanfic! This was an idea a mutual of mine on Twitter had- with fanart included!- and I said I wanted to write it. So, here it is!
> 
> You can follow her barbaaritha96 and me kellyeeistrash
> 
> Hope you enjoy! Maybe leave a review too, as a reward for writing the entire morning. Haha, joking. (well, maybe not)

The sun rose high in the sky, beating down its heat on the Earth's surface. Under the canopy of trees, the creatures were protected from the sun's rays in the shade. Somewhere in the jungle, a troop of gorillas wandered about. Some were picking fleas off one another, others were searching for fruit to eat. Only one was off with a creature not their own. While this gorilla had dark fur covering his body all over, as well as soft curls on his head, the creature was bare-skinned but muscular, with spiky brown hair covering only his head. Only a burnet loincloth covered his modesty. The gorilla and the creature swung from the trees, whooping and howling and laughing loud enough to scare off the parrots in the trees.

"You're so slow, Makoto!" the gorilla called out, swinging from one branch to another with ease. The creature laughed and followed, the wind whipping past his ears. He tightened his grip on the branch he grabbed onto so he would not fall.

"I'm bigger and heavier than you, Nagisa! Obviously, I'd be slower!" Makoto shouted back to the gorilla. They paused on one tree, panting to catch their breath. Makoto crouched down and smiled, using his feet as an anchor so he would not slip and fall to the ground far below them. "I can never tire of views like this. The land is just so beautiful!" He spread his arms out like a bird preparing for flight. Nagisa cackled.

"Careful! You're a gorilla, not a bird. thank goodness too, or else I wouldn't be able to hang out with you!" the gorilla joked, shoving him slightly. "Eh, you'll get used to the sight eventually."

"Heh, hey!  _You_  be careful! I could fall!" Makoto chuckled. He picked at Nagisa's mop of fur and ate a few fleas. Nagisa did the same to his hair.

"You're so weird looking. You know that right?" the gorilla said absentmindedly, struggling to find any small insects yet again.

"Hm, only get that a hundred times a day," Makoto teased, scratching his cheek.

"Well, no wonder! Look at how hairless you are! You are one of a kind, Makoto! A-ha!" Nagisa cheered as he found a critter in Makoto's infinite spikes. As he chewed, Nagisa shouted, "C'mon, let's go find Rei!" He jumped down to the lower hanging branches before leaping down to the ground. Makoto followed, albeit more clumsily. They rushed past vegetation, other gorillas in their troop, and other animals. As they reached a clearing where a small lake was surrounded by animals every day, they found the heard of elephants where their dear friend was. "Rei!"

"Rei!" Makoto joined Nagisa's call for their elephant companion. Not even a minute later, they heard the thundering footfalls of Rei.

"Makoto, Nagisa! It's good to see you both again! Well, it's good to see you both at all." While most of the elephants in his herd had fantastic eyesight and could even see in the dark, Rei was the unfortunate pachyderm that ran into tree trunks ever since he was a calf. He wrapped his trunk around Nagisa's waist and lifted him over his head. "What do you see right now, Nagisa?"

"Hm, besides the top of Makoto's head," Nagisa joked, making the elephant and the odd-looking gorilla laugh, "I see a free spot for us to swim in the lake! Let's go, Rei! Onwards!" The elephant hesitated.

Makoto, knowing him well, said, "Rei, follow me!" He ran on his knuckles ahead of the elephant, far enough to give them both room but not enough that Rei could not see him. With Nagisa giving him directions in the form of "No, your other right!", it took the three of them a few moments to find the vacant area. When they did, Nagisa freed himself from Rei's vise-like grip and splashed around in the water. Makoto followed, swimming on his back farther from the others to the deeper water. Rei joined them tentatively. Although the water only reached to his ankles, the elephant believed he wouldn't be a great swimmer.

"Makoto, how did you learn to swim like that?" Rei called out. With a mild hesitation, Makoto turned around and swam towards the gorilla and elephant face down. He had a fear of swimming this way for as long as he could remember. He had vague recollections of a vast blue. For days it would be calm and clear, but for an equal amount of time, it would shake and grow taller than the trees...

"I can't swim like that! Why can Makoto?" Nagisa whined. Makoto chuckled.

"I don't know. It just comes naturally to me, I suppose," he answered. Nagisa pouted and crossed his arms. "Hey, cheer up! Let's just swim and have fun!"

* * *

Makoto and Nagisa returned to their families who, at this point, no longer worried when they were gone for the whole day. The hairless gorilla found his mother, Kellan, taking apart bananas from their bunch. He came up from behind and hugged her.

"Hello Mom," he said warmly. She touched his arm and smiled.

"How are you, baby? What did you and your friends do today?" Kellan asked. She enjoyed hearing of her son's antics with his friends.

"We swam in the lake today! We had so much fun!" he told her with a smile brighter than the sun in the heavens.

"I'm glad you did. Hey, get your brother and sister up here so they can eat." Makoto nodded and jumped to the ground. He knuckle walked to where he knew his siblings would be- hanging from the trees near the coast. Where the twins always played reminded Makoto of his memories of the endless blue, except it was smaller and there was green and beige surrounding it.

"Ran, Ren, get down here! Mom wants us all to eat!" Makoto called once he reached the border of trees and shrubbery. He saw two small heads peek over the branches and leaves. He smiled. "C'mon, I know you're hungry! I am too!"

The two small gorillas climbed down and hugged their older brother. "Mako, we played hide-and-seek today! I won each time I was the seeker!" Ran announced.

"W-what?! No, you didn't! I won more than you!" Ren stuttered. Makoto chuckled.

"Tell the rest later so Mom knows too." He gently pushed their backs towards their troop when something caught his attention from the corner of his eye. "What is... Ran, Ren, do you see that?" He pointed out to the ocean where he noticed the dark shape. Ran and Ren hugged his legs.

"It looks big. And scary," Ren shuddered.

"Mako, what is it?" Ran asked, fear in her filemot eyes. The wind picked up and blew through their fur and hair. Makoto's gaze hardened as he stood up straighter. He grabbed Ran and Ren's tough hands.

"I don't know, but we must tell the others." He sprinted, Ran and Ren close behind. Had they stayed a second longer, they would have seen a smaller shape next to the larger one slowly drift closer to the coast, four heads aboard it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We meet the four men in the boat, as well as a few on board the ship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back! Hope you enjoy reading!

The tallest and best built of the four men on the small boat waved to the redheaded man above him leaning over the large ship's railing. The redheaded man, his long hair whipping in the sea zephyr, waved back.

"I hate having to leave Rin on the ship with the others," the large man said, returning his grip to the oars, rowing the boat to the coast. He stared at the three men accompanying him. "None of you better take long with your... studies."

"Oh, not at all, Yamazaki-kun!" one of the men, with silky grey hair and sky blue eyes, responded. He was the smallest of the four and clutched his notebook. "Momo and I hope to gather much information about the animals and vegetation here in the jungles of Africa, especially-"

"Gorillas! Yahoo!" the younger male sitting next to the silver-haired man interrupted. He had orange curls and amber eyes. "I can't wait to show all the work Aii-senpai and I did to Onii-chan and Onee-chan!" Momotarou cheered, shaking the boat, almost tossing the luggage all of the men brought with them overboard.

"Don't do that!" Sousuke hissed. Gripping his binoculars around his neck, Momotarou mumbled an apology. The large man turned to face the raven beside him, who was gripping his side of the boat from the shaking. "So, what about you? What are you doing on this expedition... uh?"

"Nanase Haruka. I'm here for artistic purposes. I plan to capture the beauty of the land and the animals with art," the lithe man answered. "Why are you here?" Sousuke rowed for a few minutes before answering.

"Personal reasons. I suppose you don't know this lovable duo here with us. This is Nitori Aiichiro and Mikoshiba Momotarou. I'm Yamazaki Sousuke," he introduced themselves to the raven.

"And I'll assume you three know each other. It's nice to meet you all." Haruka held out his hand for each man to shake.

"It's nice to meet you as well, Nanase-kun!" Aiichiro responded. "Let us hope we see beautiful specimens during our expedition!" He smiled widely. Haruka, gripping the satchel on his side that contained his sketchbook and pencils, grinned back. Momotarou began to ramble on about the beetles he hoped to find in the jungle. All the while, Sousuke remained stoic and continued rowing.

* * *

Rin stayed by the railing, watching not only the small boat where his fiancé was but also the coastline. He was certain he saw something there. It moved too quickly for him to see what it truly was, but he was glad he told Sousuke to be careful before he departed.

"Onii-chan, why aren't you leaving with Sousuke-kun? Isn't that why you came here in the first place, to see the jungle?" Rin's younger sister, Gou, spoke up. She touched his shoulder. He turned to her and smiled sadly.

"Captain said they could only send a few of us to start. I backed out," he admitted. "Sousuke is one of the strongest men we have, so of course he'd be in the first group to go. Aii and Momo are primatologists and are doing scientific research. And the other one... what was his name again?" Rin asked. Gou bit her thumbnail.

"I believe it was Nanase Haruka. He's very mysterious. But so handsome," Gou sighed. Her brother clicked his tongue. "Why is he with the others?"

"Judging from his sketchbook, I'd assume he's an artist. Then there's me. This trip is more of a vacation for you and me."

"Not me. I don't like all the bugs and storms. My boots were ruined, Onii-chan!" Rin looked down.

"Your boots look fine, Gou."

"No, my  _other_ boots! The sea water-" She was interrupted by the harsh coughs of her brother. "Oh, that's why you couldn't go."

"Ah, it's just a cold!" Rin waved his hand. "By the time the ship gets close to the shore and we sent up camp, I'll be good as new! Then I'll be able to join Sousuke and the others!" He flashed his shark-like grin at Gou. "Now, let me see these ruined boots of yours."

"Help me with my laundry too?"

"Only for my favorite sister."

* * *

Sousuke hoisted the boat over his head with ease. Out of all he brought with him, he only carried a rifle which was slung over his shoulder and chest. Aii and Momo carried the rest of his luggage.

Haruka, carrying his suitcase, satchel, and two tent kits, said, "Why a rifle? Not sure if I should trust you now." The tall man sneered.

"For protection. Just in case we run into a jaguar or some other rabid animal," he answered tersely. He looked over the raven up and down. "And judging by your physique and equipment on you, you're going to need my protection like those two," he added, jerking his head in the direction of the two primatologists. Haruka rolled his eyes.

"Don't care either way. As long as I get to see the wildlife here." Adjusting the strap of his satchel across his body and tightening his grip on the luggage he carried, he trekked on.

There was a clearing near a small lake deeper in the jungle, the four men had discovered. Aiichiro and Momotarou were peering over the details of a gathering of gorilla nests nearby. Haruka had pitched the two tents and had found a family of parrots in the surrounding trees and was sketching away. Setting up a campfire for the approaching darkness of the night, Sousuke sharpened a machete to cut away branches from the path he would choose to take the following morning. He reloaded his semi-automatic rifle. Just in case. The jungle was dangerous, nothing like home.

He scanned the area; it was peaceful. The quiet artist stood up once the birds flew away and approached the temporary camp. The two younger men had slowly moved closer to the other two, discussing the movement of the gorillas. The rustling and shifting leaves behind them...

 _BANG!_ Sousuke lifted his rifle and shot at the leaves in hopes of taking down whatever was with them. The other three men jumped. Aiichiro and Momotarou fell prone to the dirt, Haruka covering his head with his arms. Sousuke followed the shaking leaves. He saw it! He prepared to shoot again, ready to pull the trigger...

"Are you insane?!" the smaller but surprisingly strong man beside the shooter grabbed the rifle, shoving it upwards.

 _BANG!_ It went off once more, this time in the sky. The shaking leaves and bushes ceased. Sousuke glared at the raven beside him. Despite having the ocean in his eyes, a storm was brewing. "How dare you ruin my shot? I could have gotten the animal!"

"Why kill it? It wasn't harming us! You could have easily hurt Aii or Momo!" The larger man's teal eyes narrowed.

"I am a  _fantastic_ shot. I wouldn't have missed. Besides," he continued before Haruka could even take a breath to interrupt him, "whatever it was, it could have easily mauled us all to death."

"And what if it wasn't an animal that mauls?" Haruka mocked. "You would have just senselessly killed an animal."

"It wouldn't have been senseless. It would have been an act of protection. And that's what I plan to do for the three of you," Sousuke said, putting one foot on a large rock. He resembled most of the heroes in epic tales. He leaned on his elevated knee and grinned. "I swear to keep us all safe from any danger in this African jungle. Just don't mess with my shots next time." He turned his gaze to the raven, his voice dropping an octave. "I may just miss next time."

Although he sustained a countenance of indifference, Haruka shuddered internally. This was not a man to toy with. Loosening the scarf around his neck, he ordered, "If we are to eat before nightfall, I suggest we prepare to eat now. I have a limited palate so I do not volunteer to be the cook."

"I will do it," Sousuke responded, standing up straight and returned to the campfire. As he started a fire, Aiichiro and Momotarou continued their discussion from where they had been interrupted. They began to wash the dirt off their hands and faces when Sousuke ordered them to. Before he joined them, Haruka searched the area. He wondered...

What exactly did Sousuke see? Was it truly as dangerous as he had assumed that he needed to draw and fire his rifle at it? Only the heavens knew what it truly was. Removing the gloves from his hands, the raven wet his hands under the stream of his canteen before sitting down beside the two primatologists.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! Please follow, favorite, and review, and I'll see you all next chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Makoto describes what he saw and Haruka can't sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's chapter three! Enjoy!

Makoto returned to his troop faster than he had ever done before, even faster than all the races he had against Nagisa and their friends, Asahi and Kisumi. Those baboons were always so sneaky and Nagisa would sometimes cheat, but Makoto always won. Mostly because Rei was their referee and he knew the boisterous gorilla and sly baboons as well as Makoto, letting the hairless primate win by default. He passed all the infants playing with each other, their parents watching them, even went as far as to ignore Nagisa's "Hey!" to find the silverback.

He did find him- by almost running into him. The giant snorted and glared at the gorilla that dared to touch him.

"Ah, Issa! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to run into you! I was just- I was looking for you actually!" Makoto recovered with a smile. He never understood why the silverback did not like him as much as the other gorillas. Sure, he did not care much for Nagisa either, but he would not go off in rages as often as he did with Makoto. The gorillas nearby quieted when they noticed the current confrontation between the silverback and the outlier of a gorilla. As much as he hated it, Makoto could not stop the gossip the others spread about him. He knew he was good, his mother said so. He just looked different. But those creatures he saw...

"Why were you looking for me?" growled the dominant gorilla. Makoto forced himself to meet the other's terrifying gaze. The silverback's nostrils flared as he breathed. "Well?!" he shouted, grabbing the attention of the rest of the troop, as well as scaring off the birds in the trees. Makoto flinched, tears beginning to well up in his eyes. No, he would not cry. Not in front of Issa. He would prove himself.

"I-" Before he could continue, Kellan touched Issa's arm. He growled and pulled his arm away.

"Issa, do not yell at him. You're not helping him say what he wants to say quicker," she said. Ran and Ren, previously riding her back, left her and ran to hug Makoto. He smiled. His family always supported him, even through silent gestures. Well, except for one of them. He took a deep breath and tried once more.

"Issa," he said, barely a moment before the silverback could yell at his mother. Thankfully so; Makoto tolerated most things about their leader, but he would never let him raise his voice at his mother. Even as those bull eyes pierced through his bare skin, Makoto continued. "Earlier today, when I went to find Ran and Ren so we could eat, the three of us saw a weird shape out in the water."

"It was huge!" Ran added.

"We saw a smaller shape that looked just like the bigger one, too!" Ren commented. Issa's glare silenced the twins, both cowering behind their brother's legs.

"Well, we ate. Then I left to see if the shapes left. Instead, I saw four creatures walking on two legs!" Some of the gorillas gasped, including Kellan, Ran, and Ren. Issa remained austere. "So I began to follow them. One was carrying the smaller shape on his head. I couldn't see his face, but he carried a long stick on his back. The stick makes a noise, but I can't describe it. One of the smaller creatures had hair as bright as the sun and was as unruly as Nagisa's. He was loud too, almost as loud as the stick. The other had pretty hair, the same color as your back." The silverback snorted. The comment aggravated him. Makoto noted not to compare anything with the same appearance to the dominant gorilla's back ever again. "Well, the fourth one wasn't as big as the first but not small like the other two. He had really dark hair and his eyes were..." They were beautiful. They held the entire blue of his memories on the two distinct spots on his face. Makoto believed he was bigger than the blue one, but that did not mean that he was indefinitely weaker than the gorilla. "... like the water on calm days."

"And just what is that point of telling this to me?" Issa asked in a tone that told Makoto he seemed bored with this conversation. He puffed out his hairless chest and drew himself up to his full height, making him taller than the silverback. That may be one reason why Issa did not like him; Makoto was not the dominant gorilla but was much bigger than him.

"They looked just like me." Like a switch, Issa reeled away from Makoto, howling. He did not understand the sudden change. "Why are you afraid of other gorillas? I don't think they mean to harm us!"

"No, they mean to harm us! They will kill us all when they have the chance!" he shouted loud enough for gorilla troops miles away to hear. He snorted. "We must move. Now," he ordered.

"Issa, it's almost nightfall!" Kellan reasoned. The silverback turned to face her.

"I will not let those monsters take any of you away from me! Especially you," he added, his voice softening. "Let's move! Before it becomes too dark!" He moved quickly in the direction opposite of where Makoto came from. The hairless gorilla's shoulders slumped as he crouched back down. Kellan wrapped an arm around him.

"Why does he hate me so much? I was just telling him what I saw." His mother rubbed his back. Ran and Ren never loosened their hold on their brother's legs.

"You know how your father is. He's... stubborn." Makoto scoffed and turned his head away from her.

"He sure doesn't act like a father sometimes. Especially with me," he said before freeing himself of his family's hold and following the troop. Nagisa ran to his side.

"Makoto, are you okay?" he asked. The hairless gorilla shook his head slowly. "Oh, whatever! Just ignore everything Issa says! He's so dramatic sometimes!" Makoto stopped walking, making Nagisa look back to see him. "Makoto?"

"How can I ignore when he's my father? I've tried to do that for years but..." He sighed and rubbed his eyes, but a tear still escaped. "You can never truly ignore everything your parent says, no matter how much you try or how much they hate you for existing." He ran and climbed up a tree trunk and swung on the vines, leaving Nagisa behind.

"Wait, where are you going?" he shouted. Makoto did not answer back. Just as he disappeared from sight, Nagisa realized he was heading the same direction he came from.

The direction of the creatures he said looked like him.

* * *

Haruka turned onto his side once more. He knew it was late, possibly one in the morning. He just could not sleep. He had slept on hard surfaces before, but this dirt was a test of his patience surely! How could the giant of a man beside him sleep so easily? Perhaps he does not have a bed. Not that the raven would give him any pity. He sat up and stretched. He would see if the night sky would calm him. Careful not to wake Sousuke, Haruka exited the tent.

It was not a chilly night like he had grown used to on the ship. Ironically, Haruka, a natural born swimmer, had gotten mildly seasick. Of course, there were several storms during the voyage. He had heard the screams of one young lady about a pair of boots being ruined. He found it comical. He had his boots supposedly ruined as well, but they were still functional in protecting his feet. There was no need to complain about whether or not their appearance was pleasurable.

He could hear the sleeptalking of the more energetic primatologist in the other tent.  _What was he dreaming about to be talking about capybaras?_ Haruka shook his head and sat down next to the smolders of the campfire. As much as he did not want to admit it, Sousuke was an incredible cook. They only had canned tuna, beans, and rice, yet he had somehow turned it into a meal only the rich could taste while those below them ogled with thirsty eyes and drooling mouths.

The sky was filled with stars. He could see so much more here than back at Iwatobi, the small fishing town he grew up in. But this...

Haruka knew, right then and there, this would be a sight he would never tire of. He spotted a distant shooting star. He did not attempt to make a wish; he did not believe in such childish things. Besides, did they ever work? However, he knew what he wanted- a way to keep a part of this jungle with him forever. The call of the birds was musical and meaningful, the wind whispered secrets in his ears that he would never understand, the trees growing to touch the heavens...

It was beautiful.

Haruka was so deep in thought, he almost missed the rustling leaves and snapping twigs behind him. He turned so quickly, he almost gave himself whiplash. As his eyes scrutinized the area, his nerves calmed and the sudden anxiety dissipated. There was no one there. It was just his imagination. He stole another glance at the sky and was mesmerized once more. The fog of sleep had begun to cloud his mind. As his eyes fell and grew more tired, Haruka realized he was thinking about what Sousuke had seen earlier and what it might have been before falling asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please follow, favorite, and review! I'll see you next chapter!
> 
> (Also, I wrote this whole thing like, right after I posted chapter two haha.)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haruka draws a baby baboon but ends up getting in serious trouble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's chapter four! Hope you enjoy!

"Haruka!"

The raven jolted awake at the sudden yell of his name. He found a grip on the blanket covering him. Wait, did he bring a blanket with him? He was not cold last night so there was no need...

"What are you doing sleeping outside?" Sousuke yelled from the tent. He got out and ripped the blanket from Haruka's grasp. Although he was yelling, there was fear in his turquoise eyes. "You could have gotten hurt by God knows what and we wouldn't have known until we woke up and found your half-eaten corpse on the ground! What were you thinking?" Haruka stood up to his full height, but he barely reached his mouth.

"I was thinking about getting some sleep," he retorted. Haruka could see the two younger men crawling out of their shared tent from his peripheral vision, awoken from their shouting and rubbing the sleep from their eyes. "I'm sorry if I'm not able to sleep like an infant like you can on the hard ground."

"Well, get used to it, Nanase!" Sousuke yelled, emphasizing the last name with a jab of his finger at Haruka's chest, hard enough to make it hurt and for the raven to rub at the area of skin. If it bruised, so help him... "You're going to be sleeping on the ground for a while, and I would rather get a full night's sleep than keeping watch so your sleepy ass doesn't get eaten by a jaguar." Sousuke turned on his heel and stepped back into the tent, most likely to change into a fresher set of clothing. Haruka scowled at his back. He wished he could toy with this man because he got on his nerves already! It was stupid and petty, but he could not help it. He really wanted to slap Sousuke at the very least. He turned to face the primatologists.

"I'll cook breakfast. Do you think the two of you can find some edible berries while I start the fire?"

* * *

"Are we lost, Yamazaki-kun?" Aiichiro whimpered. Momotarou slapped his back, eliciting a loud "Ow! Momo!"

"Of course not, Aii-senpai! Sousuke-kun knows where he's going, right?" Amber eyes stared at the large man. Sousuke grinned shakily, then turned to face forward. Haruka glared at him with the eyes of an eagle than of a raven.

In truth, Sousuke had no idea where was going. To be completely honest...

He did not know why he volunteered to lead them through the jungle. It was the  _jungle_ , what was he thinking? He got lost at train stations!

"Sousuke, how about I lead for a while?" Haruka offered, holding out his hand for the machete the giant was using to cut away the branches. Sousuke raised a thick eyebrow.

"With your stick arms?" Scowling, Haruka yanked the blade from the taller man's hand and slashed at the brush for several meters. He turned back, a smirk on his face.

"I must have logs for arms then."

* * *

As the sun beat down on their exposed skin, the group rested for half an hour. It was then the primatologists realized...

"These are  _gorilla_  nests! Momo, look! There are  _families_! We're so close to finding them!" Aiichiro cheered.

" _Yahoo!_ " Momotarou screamed. The shorter man got up and covered the younger's mouth.

"Sshh! They could be nearby and we might scare them away!" he whispered. Momotarou's mouth formed a small "o" and he nodded. "Now, if we're careful, we may be able to find more nests and maybe even where the gorillas are going..." Aiichiro trailed off as he continued to study the nest he and his partner were standing in.

Sousuke watched the two young men with interest. It was fascinating how much they knew of these beasts, even learning about how many there were just by studying the most recent nesting place. Rolling down his sleeves, he applied more sunscreen.

"Yo, Yamazaki-kun!" Momotarou called out. The tall man looked up and raised his eyebrow at the younger man. "Where's Nanase-san?" His eyes widened as Sousuke spun on his heel. The raven was nowhere to be found and he did not notice him leave.

* * *

Haruka slowly turned, memorizing the details of the leaves above him. He smiled softly. A place untouched by man was of infinite beauty, he almost regretted coming here in the first place. The trees grew so tall and wide, he could barely see the sky. He was somewhat grateful for that; the sun had burned him despite all the sunscreen he had applied before he and the others left camp.

There was a sharp howl near Haruka, and when his eyes snapped back down from the heights above him to see a baby baboon.

"Oh, hello. Aren't you small?" the raven muttered and approached him slowly. He did not want to scare the baby away. The baboon, with small little curls on his head, looked down shyly and backed away. "No no, it's okay. I won't hurt you. Just... um," Haruka trailed off, unsure of what to do. Then he spotted a mango near his foot. "Oh, here! Eat this. Don't mind me." Eyeing the fruit, the baby baboon snatched it away and began to bite into it. Stepping back, Haruka opened his satchel and pulled out his sketchbook and a pencil.

In the span of five minutes, Haruka had the rough sketch of the baby baboon eating the mango. When he finally looked up, the baboon was out of sight. He turned to see the baby above his shoulder, holding onto the vine he hung from. Haruka smoothed out the paper and displayed it. "Here you go. Aren't you a handsome lad?"

The baboon let out a happy cry. He liked the drawing. A lot. It was very pretty.

He wanted it.

"Maybe if I can find some time to outline- hey! Give that back!" The baboon ripped the sketchbook from the man's hands and ran off. Tearing the paper from the bind, the baby admired the sketch. Quite handsome. He hugged the paper close to his chest.

Then the sheet was snatched away, leaving the baby bewildered. The waterworks began and he cried. Cried for anyone that could hear. His brother would. He always heard him.

"Oh, don't give me that. You may be a baby baboon but you should better than to steal from others," Haruka lectured and clicked his tongue. "What would your family say?" A growl cut through the air and the baby baboon ceased his cries. Looking up, Haruka saw dozens of adult baboons in the trees. The one closest to him, with bared fangs and was the baboon the baby ran to and climbed his back, had the same curls on his head like the baby, but more wild and long. Behind the snarling baboon was another almost identical but with hair that moved like fire. He too had his teeth bared. "Oh, um. I'm sorry. There seems to have been a misunderstanding. You see, I was just giving  _back_ the drawing to the poor baby," Haruka tried to reason.

Then he ran.

The baboons howled and chased after him. Branches smacked across his face, yet Haruka pushed forward. His clothes became ripped as the trees reached out to slash at him. At one point, he felt one baboon on his back but he somehow shook it off. Gradually, Haruka ran faster than the baboons were climbing. He was almost in the clear...

When he saw the drop of a cliff right in front of him. The only way to get over was to jump. Taking a deep breath, Haruka pushed off the ground and leapt into the air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please follow, favorite, and review! See you next chapter!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Makoto and Haru meet for the first time. There is a spark between them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, welcome back to chapter five! Hope you enjoy!

The first thing he noticed after he had jumped was the wind rushing past his ears the same way it had been before he saw the cliff- from a forward direction as he ran. It was not blowing up as it should. The second thing he realized was the vise-like hold around his waist. Slowly, Haruka opened his eyes and looked down. He was above the ground and many trees as it rushed by underneath him.

_Am I flying?_  Being high up in the sky he had been admiring so much, it was a possibility.

Then he took account to what was around his waist. Haruka touched it and realized it was warm. Warmer than him. He stole a glance upwards. Above him, the source of the hold was a muscular young man who appeared to be around the same age as him. He had tanned skin, untamed spikey brown locks, a strong jawline, and broad shoulders. He had a loincloth covering his lower body. One hand held onto a vine as the two of them swung, the other obviously wrapped around the artist.

Haruka squirmed slightly. He would rather not be touched but right now, this stranger was the only one keeping him from falling.

"Um, hello. I'm-" Suddenly, Haruka screamed as he felt something his left leg, making the two men on the vine lurch and lose momentum. The baboon with fiery hair was attacking his boot. The raven kicked him away with his free leg. He lost his boot in the process.

A howl above grabbed his attention. It came from the stranger, appearing distressed as he watched the grown baboon fall farther below them. Haruka turned his head forward- or whatever direction they were heading. They could be upside down for all he knew.

"Hey, watch where you're going!" he screamed. Haruka was not one to display his emotions so the world can read him. But as a rapidly approaching tree menacingly blocked their soaring path, he could not help but let his fear show.

The wild man shifted and they avoided the tree. With ease, he lifted Haruka up higher despite his protests and held him upright. Now closer to the stranger's face, Haruka could see his face now. He had large, thick eyebrows and long eyelashes. He had a straight, handsome nose and full lips. And his eyes...

Suddenly, just as a thunderclap boomed through the air and rain poured from the clouds, the vine snapped and the men fell. Again, Haruka screamed bloody murder. Holding the raven tightly against him, the stranger grabbed another vine suspended from the trees. Because they were falling and he was using only one hand, he could not get a proper grip at first and his hand burned. He snarled but finally had a hold of it.

Usually, the rain was soothing weather for Haruka. But now, more than anything, he wanted to get out of the sky and be where it was solid and dry.

"Put me down. Please, put me down," he spoke through gritted teeth, squirming still in the stranger's hold. They slowed and Haruka was now stuck in a tree. He scooted away from the man, who he now realized was much bigger than him. He was looking up and making odd noises. Before he could wonder why, he saw what the stranger was looking at- the baboons. They were perched on the tree branches across and above them. The man continued to make strange noises, sounding like ooh's and ah's. Then it clicked it Haruka's mind- somehow, the mystery man was having a conversation with the baboons, and it seemed like they understood one another. Haruka stared in wonder.

Then he turned around and faced the raven. The man, crouching, approached him quickly. "Oh, wait. Wait." Haruka leaned back but was already braced against the bark of the tree. The stranger loomed over him, his eyes searching. What was he going to do to him? And his eyes, they were...

The man snatched something from Haruka. It was the drawing of the baby baboon. Before the raven could protest, the brunette held out the sheet of paper to the baboon with the unruly curls. Then he passed it to the baby, who cradled both the drawing and...

"My boot!" The large group of baboons left, leaving the raven with the stranger. He groaned. Just great. Now he was stuck in a tree with a man who spoke to baboons, he was wet and cold, his sketch taken from him, and he was missing a boot! So much for putting them to good use. Perhaps he should have done what that young lady did and bring an extra pair of boots with him instead of just slippers. Contemplating whether or not he would climb down the tree by himself, the baboon man drew even closer to him than before. Haruka pushed him back by placing his bootless- unfortunately, also sockless- foot against his chest. "Excuse me. Personal space, ever heard of it?"

The man looked down almost confused. A foot. Much like his own but smaller and paler. He grabbed the foot by the toes and wiggled them about.

One thing about Haruka that no one ever knew- he was ticklish. "No, n-no. Stop. That tick-!" he tried to say through bouts of giggles. The man smiled brighter than the sun. One hand left the small foot and trailed farther up the slender leg.

That was when Haruka freed his foot and kicked the man in the face.

"How dare you! I don't know what's running through that mind of yours, but when I say 'personal space', I mean 'personal space'. Understand?" the raven lectured, scrunching his nose in now palpable annoyance. This man may appear human, but he sure acted more animal. The brunette tilted his head to the side, exactly like that of a puppy. Almost immediately, the man moved even closer to the artist, ignoring what he had just said. Haruka, never being a violent person, tried to put more distance in between them before holding out his hand to stop the stranger. "Please. You're making me uncomfortable. I-" He stopped talking.

The man's hand- it was warm- held his wrist gingerly as if he were a porcelain doll, easy to break. There was a hole in the right middle finger of the grey gloves Haruka wore. In a slow agonizing manner, the stranger pulled the glove off, one finger at a time. The glove is now gone, revealing Haruka's lissom hand. The stranger spread out his fingers and the raven did the same in some sort of awestruck stupor. When he looked up, he could finally see the man's eyes with nothing threatening to interrupt the gaze.

It was then the rain let up and the sun broke through the clouds.

Emeralds could not compare to the green his eyes had. The lush forest was only a pile of fallen leaves. The man's eyes glimmered with a light the sun could never provide. They told stories the world would never know about. Haruka was hypnotized. He did not notice the man leaning forward until his ear was in contact with his chest. As offput as he was, Haruka did not utter a word, only a groan of discomfort.

The man straightened his back but pulled Haruka's head forward. "What are you-?" His ear was against the man's chest, his heartbeat strong and powerful. It resonated through his body, from his bones to his fingertips. He pried the stranger's hands from the sides of his head and sat up. The man smiled at him again. Haruka tried to copy him. "Mm, yes. That's, uh, a healthy heart you have. It's very nice."

The man scrunched his face in concentration. Slowly, he uttered, "It's... very nice."

Haruka mumbled under his breath, "Yes, yes. Very nice. Is my sketchbook dry? I hope I didn't lose any pen-" Then it clicked. He stared at the man. "You- you  _can_ speak! I'm sorry, I thought you... well, I... um," he started to apologize but ceased speaking when the man began to gesticulate by hitting his chest twice.

"Mm. Me, Makoto," he said in a gruff yet sweet voice. Although he was a big man, his voice was not as deep as it had been expected. Placing his hands on his knees, he leaned close, smiling and staring at the raven. Haruka raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Makoto?" he muttered under his breath. Then he understood, raising both eyebrows and his mouth forming an 'o'. "Oh, I see." The man howled with delight. He grabbed Haruka's hand.

"Me, Makoto," he said, pointing to himself. Holding the artist's hand above their heads, he added, "Oh-I-See." Haruka pulled his hand away from the tight grasp.

"Uh no, no no." He cleared his throat and pointed at himself. "I'm Haruka." The man, Makoto, tilted his head in that puppyish way again.

"Uh no, no no." He cleared his throat and pointed at himself as well, copying Haruka exactly. "I'm Haruka," he repeated in a voice slightly deeper than what he had spoken in a moment before. The raven groaned.

"No, no. Haruka, Makoto," he said, first pointing at himself, then at the man. He repeated the action with the mantra, "Haruka, Makoto. Haruka, Makoto." The man held his hand between both of his in the way you would hold a delicate flower. His smile was also warm.

"Haruka," he whispered as if he were in a trance. The raven nodded, a faint smile on his face.

"Yes." Considering it for a moment, he added, "Or Haru, if that's easier."

"Haru." It fell from Makoto's lips so easily, it was as if he had been saying the name his whole life instead of learning it a few seconds before.

A distant  _BANG!_ ruined the atmosphere between the two men. Haruka looked to where the gunshot most likely came from.

"Sousuke!" he shouted. Unless the ship had arrived to shore sooner than planned, only one person would have a gun- more specifically, a semi-automatic rifle- on him, and it was the large, stoic man with haunting teal eyes.

Makoto jumped from the gunshot and stood close to the edge of the branch. He smiled and shouted, "Sousuke!" before bellowing a loud and convincing  _BANG!_ with his own mouth making the sound effect. Haruka got up as well and touched the taller man's shoulder.

"Yes, that's one of the men I'm with. They must be searching for me. The rain would have slowed them down. Can you take me to my camp?" He pointed in what he hoped was the correct direction of east. He turned to see Makoto smiling at him. Wrapping one arm around Haruka's waist and another wrapped by a vineyard, the brunette pushed away from the tree and swung in the air. "No wait, can't we walk?!" Haruka screamed for what felt to be the twentieth time that day. He had never used his voice as often as he did today before.

" _Can't we walk?!_ " Makoto echoed just as loudly as the raven did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Please follow, favorite, and review! See you all next chapter!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nagisa, Rei, Shizuru, Romio, Ayumu, Hiyori, and Ikuya make a mess out of the camp. Haru and Makoto see the aftermath when Haru finally understands why the brunet is so different.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, welcome back to chapter six! Hope you enjoy, especially after my short break. Needed it to recharge and also to watch Tarzan again, haha.

"That boy just doesn't know how to stay in one place! Ooh, once I find him, I'm going to give him such a talking to!" Nagisa ranted on as he pushed through the brush. His companions- Rei, Ikuya, Hiyori, Shizuru, Romio, and Ayumu- were barely registering what he was saying. They only hummed in agreement. None of them wanted to listen to the gorilla that forced them to join his search party for Makoto. "Don't you agree with me, Ikuya? Don't you hate it when Hiyori suddenly disappears?"

Surprised by the sudden attention on him, the mole snake did not respond and coiled into himself.

"At least warn him before you ask him something, Nagisa," the green mamba hissed for Ikuya. "And I don't think he minds my supposed 'disappearances' one bit." Ikuya's small head popped up. Although mole snakes were somewhat larger than mambas like Hiyori, Ikuya was the unfortunate pygmy of his family. His brother was much larger and it annoyed him to no end.

"Oh no, it bothers me a lot. Sometimes I think you had attacked your own tail and instead of telling me you were dying from your own venom, you went to hide like a coward," the mole snake hissed back.

"Ikuya!"

"W-where  _is_ Makoto?" Romio asked, raising his hand to part his hair for the umpteenth time. Shizuru stopped the gorilla from repeating the nervous habit once more. "Oh, thank you, Shizuru."

"We will find Mako," the larger gorilla said tersely. It calmed the smaller primate.

"I want food," Ayumu whined. As if on cue, the hippopotamus's stomach growled loudly. One of Rei's tusks hit a tree trunk he did not see.

"Nagisa, how about we stop and take a break to eat? Then we will be able to focus on our task with greater ease," he advised. Rubbing his chin for a moment, Nagisa nodded. The others cheered and separated. As they searched for some sort of fruit to snack on, Shizuru and Romio stumbled across it.

"Uh, guys? You might want to see this!" Romio called out. When the other mammals and reptiles gathered around, they all gasped in shock.

There, right in front of them, was a whole gathering of inanimate...  _things_. "Those aren't alive, right?" Ayumu whimpered. Rei patted her head with his trunk.

"Of course not, Ayumu. But what is it?" he asked out loud. Nagisa shrugged.

"I don't know what animal did this, but they sure did make a mess," he hissed and slithered closer to the area. Ikuya followed, as did the others after a moment of hesitation. There was a tall block with arrows and numbers on it while also making a "tick-tock" noise. Hiyori hit it with his tail. "Hey, be quiet! You're being repetitive and loud, and it's annoying!" The noise did not cease. Hiyori groaned while Ikuya tittered at his friend's exasperation.

"Hiyori, remember that these things aren't alive." The green mamba only hissed in embarrassment. Shizuru, Romio, and Ayumu were checking out the miniature metal nests that made even more noise than the block when banged together. Rei accidentally knocked over a pile of leather-bound squares when Nagisa found the greatest contraption of all time- a button pushing machine that made a "ding" sound after a certain amount of pushed buttons.

"Everyone, look at this!" As the others flocked around him, the energetic gorilla mashed as many buttons as he could so pictures could appear on the white square of the machine. The ding noise was made and they all ooh'd together.

"Let us try," Ikuya volunteered. He and Hiyori hit the buttons over and over while Romio howled over Shizuru banging the metal nests together. Suddenly, there was a light in Nagisa's large eyes that Rei could not help but think,  _Uh-oh._

"You know what?" I have an idea."

* * *

Haruka did not expect to see three gorillas, two different species of snake, an elephant, and a hippopotamus destroying the camp when he and Makoto touched the ground. As he sat there in shock, Makoto ran to one of the gorillas and tackled him. They rolled around and wrestled each other, howling and laughing. The raven smiled to see the man so happy. Then his lips parted as it dawned on him.

"He's one of them," he muttered under his breath. Makoto was an ape-man, a human raised by gorillas. But how?

As Makoto and the gorilla circled each other, the primate was facing the raven. He turned his gaze to the human, his eyes widening. Slowly, Haruka stood up, not wishing to scare away the gorilla. He wondered if he was the same age as Makoto.

By now, the rest of the animals were watching him. He was a bit more wary with the snakes, especially the green mamba, as well as the hippo. They may seem slow but they could get violent when the need arose. As if he were protecting him, the elephant held his trunk as a barrier between Haruka and the other gorillas and animals.

Makoto turned to face him and grinned at the gorilla. The brunette spoke to the primate in that ape-like way. He must have told him it was safe to be near Haruka because the gorilla slowly approached him. Then he stopped once more, staring at whatever was to the side in the brush. The raven turned to see what it was...

There were more gorillas. One of the more grown was closest but was quickly backing away in fear as Haruka took a step closer. Makoto spoke to the adult gorilla, who the raven assumed was female.

"No, no. It's okay," the artist reassured as best he could. Gorillas were intelligent, but could they understand what he said. Then, as if he had some deadly communicable disease, all of the animals and Makoto backed away from him.

That was when he felt the breathing down his neck. Whatever was behind him, Haruka knew he would fear it. After all, even Makoto moved away and he had just been swinging high up in the trees the way a child would on the swing set of a playground.

Facing whatever it was behind him, Haruka had to lift his gaze higher up. There, directly in front of him, was a silverback gorilla. "Oh my-"

The silverback hit his chest and roared. Haruka fell to the ground in fear. He grabbed the closest thing to him- an incredibly reflective pot. He held it in front of his face like a shield. The gorilla only snorted. So this was how he would die. At least he got a few drawings done.

 _BANG!_  Every animal flinched. Growling, the silverback lumbered away. The other gorillas followed obediently. The female gorilla grabbed Makoto's arm, pulling him away from Haruka. His eyes spoke what he could not say-  _I'm sorry, I don't want to leave. Be careful. I'll come back._

Haruka was already anticipating the last one.

When the rifle shooter and the primatologists broke through the brush and surrounded Haruka, Makoto and the animals were gone.

"Haruka! Where have you been?! I thought we lost you!" Sousuke shouted lifting the lithe man's arms to check for any injuries, minor or fatal.

"Yeah, after we became lost because of you, Yamazaki-kun!" Aiichiro retorted, stomping his foot. The large man's face reddened.

"I found a beetle! An African Palm Weevil, scientific name _Rhynchophorus phoenicis_! Isn't it so cute?" Momotarou was the only one of the three exuding positivity. It broke the palpable tension in the atmosphere for a moment. "By the way, where did you go, Nanase-san?" Teal eyes continued to glare at the raven.

"Well?" Sousuke crossed his arms and watched the smaller man slowly stand up. He seemed like he was in a daze until he frantically turned his head from left to right.

"Oh my god, there was- there was a baby baboon. I-I was drawing and it took my sketchbook, so I took it back. Then the baby's family was in the trees and- and I was flying!"

"You were flying?!" Momotarou screeched in excitement, holding the beetle over his head.

"And I was high up, and- oh! My boot, they took my boot!" Haruka was shouting at this point but he did not care. "And he was carrying me and he was so close to me, but then he brought me here and left, and-"

"Wait, who? Who is 'he'?" Sousuke interrupted, grabbing Haruka by his shoulders and shaking him slightly. He smiled warmly, and the taller man raised an eyebrow.

"Makoto," the raven answered, staring off in one direction. The shooter and the primatologists looked at each other in confusion.

"So, want to know about how I found the African Palm Weevil?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please follow, favorite, and review! See you all next chapter! Also, expect more spread out updates. It's so I won't exhaust myself from working too hard.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Makoto stands up to Issa when he shouldn't have, Haruka describes the ape-man and somehow ended up promising to teach Makoto.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, welcome back! Enjoy!

"These creatures are dangerous," Issa projected for all of the gorillas to hear. Makoto frowned, furrowing his eyebrows. Still, he held his tongue. "We will stay away from the strangers."

"But why? I know they aren't dangerous," Makoto blurted out then inhaled sharply when he realized what he had done. "I was with one of them."

"And what about the one who made those noises? You do not know if they are safe," the silverback challenged. Makoto moved to crouch on a rock, rising closer to Issa's level on the large boulder he was using as a stage.

"And you can't be sure that they're dangerous," the brunette retorted. The gorilla snorted and Makoto almost backed down. No, he would not do that.

"You will do as I say. You don't know better than me," Issa said in a way that meant the conversation was over. Makoto was not ready to give up yet.

"Why are you always threatened by anything that's  _different_ from you?!" Makoto shouted, getting into Issa's face. The gorilla roared, slamming his chest repeatedly. For that moment, as he stood on his legs, Issa was several times larger than Makoto and the man regretted ever pushing the limit. Bowing his head slightly, Makoto muttered, "Issa... I'm..." The gorilla did not let him finish.

"Protect this family. Stay away from the strangers," he ordered before stepping down from the boulder and leaving the environs. Makoto got down as well, feeling guilty but also rage. His mother put her hand on his shoulder.

"Makoto, maybe Issa is right. You never know with these strangers. And what about the one with the loud stick?" Kellan reasoned. She pulled her hand away when her son turned to face her, his green eyes set ablaze into a forest fire.

"Why did you never tell me there were others that looked like me?" he demanded in a deep but shaky voice, revealing just how angry and betrayed he felt. Before Kellan could say anything as an answer, he ran off and up into the trees.

* * *

"... And he was all crouched over. He placed all his weight on his knuckles, walking around the way a gorilla would," Haruka explained while drawing Makoto on the chalkboard Aiichiro brought with. The primatologists were fascinated and copied the way a gorilla would walk, although they moved more like frogs than the intelligent primates.

"He really moved like a gorilla?" Aiichiro asked excitedly. He had never heard of such a person, acting like an ape yet had the appearance of a human. Haruka nodded and knelt down.

"He was also all over me, not at all caring for my personal space. I suppose being raised by gorillas, personal space just does not exist," he added to the conversation.

"Well, they do groom and pick fleas off each other," Momotarou informed, still walking on his knuckles. "What else, what else?" Haruka stood back up, twirling the stick of chalk between his fingers for a few seconds. Carefully, he added more detail to the drawing on the board.

"His eyes were completely focused on our surroundings, and yet he was in his own world with the animals. But they had a sort of confusion in them whether he looked at me as if he had never seen another human before," he described, sketching the shape of Makoto's eyes. They were so green...

"Well, I don't disagree. He must have been here in the jungle his whole life," Aiichiro commented. Haruka neither hear him nor saw the scowl and glare Sousuke was giving him through the mirror while the taller man shaved. In their haste that morning, he had forgotten to epilate his morning stubble.

"I... I had never seen such eyes before," Haruka murmured, adding Makoto's irises. There, displayed on the chalkboard, was the ape-man drawn completely from memory.

He bit the inside of his cheek. What was wrong with him?

"Uh, Nanase-san? Should Aii-senpai and I leave you to have some time alone with the chalkboard?" Momotarou asked teasingly. The artist narrowed his oceanic eyes at the younger male, who rubbed his neck sheepishly.

"What I don't understand is why we are indulging in the fantasies of an artist with an overactive imagination," Sousuke snapped, throwing down the towel on his right shoulder. Haruka crossed his arms.

"This was no fantasy of mine," he insisted. The taller man scoffed and mimicked the raven's crossed-arm stance.

"Oh really? There's a monkey man out there in the wild, talking to animals like some sort of whisperer? Yes, that makes perfect sense!" Sousuke sneered. Digging his heels into the dirt, Haruka stood taller.

"I'm telling you, Makoto is-" Haruka was interrupted, the taller man jumped back, and the two primatologists screamed when the ape-man dropped from the trees above, landing in front of the artist. Haruka smiled. "- Real," he finished with a smirk.

Aiichiro squealed and ran over to see the ape-man. "Look at him! Oh, he  _is_ crouching just like you said! And walking on his knuckles! Impressive," he admired. Makoto, startled by the small grey boy, stood up and turned his head to watch the sylphlike human circle him. Momotarou joined him, holding the African Palm Weevil in his hands. The tanned man smiled at the two young men marveling over him.

"He must be the missing link between man and ape. The real ape-man! Oh, do you like beetles?" the ginger asked, holding the beetle out to the tall brunette. Smiling, Makoto ducked his head and tried to grab the beetle with his teeth. "No, don't eat him!" Momotarou screeched, making the others flinch. Makoto frowned and instead leaned close to Aiichiro, sniffing his hair.

"Um, uh. I see what you meant by not acknowledging personal space, Nanase-san," the shortest male chuckled, somewhat enjoying the feeling of Makoto's fingers parting through his hair, searching most likely for fleas to eat. Sousuke was frozen, gaping at the man before him. If the ape-man was real, then there was the key to finding the gorillas. Searching his pockets, he found a textbook diagram of a gorilla's face in a snarl.

"Uh, hey," he tried to start. Makoto was making small noises as he began to search Momotarou's mess of curly hair. Sousuke grabbed the slightly shorter man's shoulder and tried again. "Yo, where are the gorillas?" Makoto tilted his head to the side, then smiled as he turned and walked towards Haruka. The raven smiled and chuckled uncomfortably as the brunette searched through his hair. Sousuke snarled and approached the ape-man, looming over him and casting a shadow. "Hey, go-ril-la!" he shouted at the man's face, holding the paper in front of him. Like a mime, Makoto copied him and rose to his full height and puffed out his chest.

"Go-ril-la!" he shouted back in a voice that Haruka knew was not his normal one. Sousuke stepped back to avoid the close proximity of the brunette. Haruka rolled his eyes.

"He doesn't understand what you're saying, so shouting at him isn't going to help," he informed. Sousuke frowned and strutted over to the raven. "What are you- hey!" The taller man took the chalk from the shorter man's hand. He wiped the board clean of the drawing that was still on it.

"It can't be that hard to understand me. I'll show him what I mean," he boasted and began to draw on the board. Haruka frowned.

"From what I've seen, you have the emotional capability of a rock, Sousuke," the raven said, cringing at the crude picture Sousuke was creating. His drawing of Makoto was sacrificed for  _that_ primary arts-and-crafts project? Ridiculous.

"I don't see you getting married in two months," Sousuke shot back, then stepped away from the board. There was a cartoonish drawing of a gorilla. Proudly, Sousuke repeated, "Gorilla!" Makoto stared at the board in wonder when the larger man held out the piece of white drawing powder to him. He stroked it with curiosity.

"Gorilla," the ape-man repeated. He approached the board and climbed onto it, somehow not making it fall over with his weight.

"I think he understands Yamazaki-kun!" Aiichiro grinned and clapped with excitement.

Then Makoto began to scribble on the board with the chalk, repeatedly saying, "Gorilla! Gorilla!"

"Hey, no no no no no!" Sousuke demanded, trying to snatch the stick of chalk away from the brunette. Instead, Makoto held onto the piece and leaned into Sousuke's face, all without falling off the board.

"No no no no no!" he repeated, shaking the stick in Sousuke's face. The larger man grabbed the ape-man's arm, trying to take the chalk away. Makoto reiterated "no", trying to keep the chalk in his hand. Before the two giants could topple over as Sousuke was hopping on one foot and Makoto's palm over half his face, someone grabbed the stick from the stoic man's hand. The shooter and the ape-man stopped their fighting and looked at Haruka. He had an unimpressed expression on his countenance.

"How about I take over from here?" Makoto and Sousuke gave each other a side-eye glance. Momotarou was cackling several meters away from the three of them, Aiichiro trying to calm his partner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, thanks for reading! Please follow, favorite, and review! I'll see y'all next time!


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haru has to teach Makoto, Makoto is a troublemaker by means of curiosity, Haru asks about the gorillas, and Rin's back and not sick.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy chapter eight!

Haruka did not know why he volunteered to teach Makoto how to speak like a normal human. Perhaps he felt pity for the man. However, he had not anticipated just how much trouble the brunette would cause.

These last two weeks, he had fired off half a magazine when he discovered and learned how to use Sousuke's rifle, ripped out pages from the primatologists' textbooks, and  _still_ would not provide any of them their personal space.

Thankfully, by the third week of his lessons, Makoto finally learned a few things- how to say hello, what it means to "keep out of someone's bubble", how to walk upright, and that the sound of a gunshot was not called "Sousuke" and was the name of the large man who wielded the rifle.

"Don't you think you should teach him English instead of Japanese? It might be easier," Aiichiro suggested during a break in lessons. Haruka chewed on a piece of canned pineapple and swallowed before answering.

"I've never been good at English. Besides, he looks Japanese. Although it does make you think as to why the family that left Makoto here would come all the way to Africa. A bit extreme, in my opinion," the raven expressed. The smaller man nodded in understanding, returning his attention to the textbook pages he was desperately trying to piece and tape back together. As upset as he was, he just did not have it in him to blame the ape-man. Makoto was curious and did not understand the importance of such items.

"Haru, look!" Makoto called out. The aforementioned man set down his can onto the log he had been sitting on and approached the crouching brunette. "Mm, look." The larger man was holding the telescope Haruka brought along to sketch the night sky. Slowly, he pulled the lens forward, stretching out the telescope. "See?" Makoto looked through the eyepiece and grinned when he could see the raven much closer than he already was.

"Mm, yes. I see," Haruka responded. There were many things he had to pretend not to know for Makoto. It was much like the times when children would go on about what they had learned in school. However, the raven enjoyed doing it for the ape-man, just so he could see the excitement in learning something new each hour they were together. "I think we've taken a long enough break. Let's practice your reading again, Makoto."

"Okay," the brunette responded, only understanding a few words out of what Haruka said.

Behind them, leaning against a tree, Sousuke studied a map and snarled. He only had a week to go. Then the others would come and see if he had fulfilled his duty...

* * *

"When are you going to ask him about the gorillas?" Sousuke asked Haruka the next day. "We have less than a week before the ship arrives and we leave this place forever!" Haruka avoided the man's gaze, suddenly flustered.

"I'm still teaching him the basics of communication. He's learning to read and talk. I just want him to be past the level of grunting and shouting 'Look!'" Haruka responded, slightly agitated with the larger man's attitude towards their situation. Sousuke groaned and facepalmed.

"You know what? Fine, fine. But I'm only giving the both of you three days before I begin to do things  _my_ way," he threatened before walking away. Although it was childish. Haruka stuck his tongue out. Sousuke really got on his nerves.

"Where's Makoto..." he muttered under his breath. As if on cue, Makoto burst through the vegetation, running at full speed. Practically bowling over Haruka, the brunette captured the raven in a tight bear hug. "There you are," Haruka strained out.

"How are you, Haru?" Makoto asked with a smile, letting go of the artist after a moment of closeness.

"Fine, thanks," Haruka answered, cracking his neck to the side. "Ready for your next lesson, Makoto?" The taller man nodded and ran to a textbook-littered table. Haruka smiled softly. Maybe tomorrow he would ask...

* * *

"Makoto?" Haruka had finally worked up the nerve to ask the ape-man about the gorillas. He placed his hand on one broad shoulder, gasping slightly at the sudden shock between the touch. The taller man turned and smiled. He would not admit to it but the brunette's smile always made the raven's heart jump a little."I need to ask you something."

"Sure," Makoto responded, stopping the globe that he was playing with from spinning. "What is it?"

Haruka looked behind him, seeing Sousuke peeking out from their shared tent. Aiichiro and Momotarou were trying to be less obvious, but their crossed fingers and frequent glances from their textbooks to the raven and the brunette said otherwise. Haruka took a deep breath. It was now or never.

"Makoto, will you take us to see the gorillas?" Slowly, the smile on Makoto's face morphed into a frown that seemed misplaced on a face like his. Worried, Haruka asked, "Do you understand?"

"I... understand," the tanned man responded, staring off into space, lost in thought. The three other men silently approached the two others, waiting in anticipation for Makoto's answer.

"Well? Will you take us?" Haruka asked once more. Makoto's frown deepened as he looked up to meet oceanic eyes.

"I can't."

"Wh-Why not?" Sousuke stuttered, a vein suddenly popping up in his forehead, his face splattered with red. Aiichiro touched his arm to calm him but only flinched when the larger man pulled away.

"Why not, Makoto?" Haruka asked softly. He shuddered at the sorrowful and sorry look Makoto gave him.

"Issa," he said tersely before running back into the safety of the jungle.

* * *

Rin tiptoed as he passed every room on the ship. He could not risk getting caught. He slung the rifle over his shoulder and across his chest to prevent it from potentially slipping off and falling to the floor and making noise, announcing his presence near the boats. Of course, there was one obstacle he could never avoid.

"Onii-chan?" Gou whispered just as the redhead had swung one leg into the small boat he was planning to take. He froze and turned to face his sister's direction.

"Yo, Gou," he greeted awkwardly.

"What are you doing? You should be asleep!" Gou whisper-shouted.

"I'm not sick anymore, and I miss Sousuke! Say what you want Gou, but I'm going to see the gorillas in any way I can!"

"But what about Kazu-nii, and why do you have a rifle?" Gou used the affectionate name for Sousuke's cousin.

"Just in case I come across a leopard or some other rabid beast. I would never shoot down an innocent gorilla!" Rin told her before jumping up and hugging Gou tightly. "I'll see you soon, alright? I love you." He got into the boat and let it fall to the water below. Gou waved sadly.

"I love you too, Onii-chan."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh dear, here we go! Please favorite, review, and follow me both here and on Twitter kellyeeistrash and I'll see y'all next chapter!


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The others meet Rin for the first time and Makoto asks his friends for a favor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy chapter eight!

Makoto leapt from tree to tree, searching for flowers to give Haruka. Nagisa and Rei watched from a distance, the gorilla pouting. Rei sighed dreamily.

"Look at Makoto. I don't think I've ever seen him so happy," the elephant told his companion. "Don't you think so, Nagisa?"

"Eh I'd give him a week at most," the gorilla said bitterly. "Ow!" Nagisa flinched at the light smack of Rei's trunk.

"Just let him be, Nagisa. Just let him be."

* * *

When Makoto arrived at the campsite, he was surprised to see someone new there. He had long red hair and- yeesh!- really sharp teeth. They looked sharper than Issa's. The strange thing was, Sousuke was kissing this new person so affectionately, it made him wonder as to whether or not they could breathe.

"Haru?" Makoto called out, making the two kissing people jump and look around. When they spotted him, Sousuke glared and the stranger raised an eyebrow in confusion. The artist peeked over his sketchbook and smiled at the brunette. Makoto held out the bouquet of flowers in his hand. The slideshow machine told him this is what you gave the person you loved. Makoto loved Haru. "These are for you." He walked over to the raven. Haruka's cheeks turned a faint pink.

"Thank you, Makoto. They're so beautiful," Haruka responded. Before Makoto could try and hug him, the raven patted his arm. A small gesture but an affectionate one at that. "Oh, uh, Makoto. This is Sousuke's finacé, Rin. They plan to marry in two months," the lithe man explained the presence of the redhead. The one named Rin stood up and held out his hand to Makoto. Although he hesitated, the brunette took the hand and shook it the way Haruka taught him.

"So you're the infamous ape-man I heard all about this morning. It's nice to meet you," Rin greeted. In his head, he added,  _He must have been what I saw the day the others left. He looks about the same size. Although, I would have expected him to be more... feral._

The ape-man smiled at the redhead. "Your teeth are scary. More than Issa's," he commented, which left the shorter man confused. He turned to face his soon-to-be husband.

"What's an Issa?" Instead of Sousuke, Aiichiro answered from the campfire. He had been trying to avoid seeing the intimacy of Sousuke and Rin. He may be one to observe, but that would be called voyeurism.

"It's apparently the name of the silverback of Makoto's troop," the sylphlike man replied. Still slightly perplexed, Rin nodded, grinning awkwardly at the brunette and let go of his hand. Once he did, Makoto was ambushed by the energetic ginger.

"Makoto, look at this beetle I found! Isn't it amazing?" he shouted. Makoto smiled and agreed. While they were in their separate world, Rin turned to face the other three that he hoped were still sane. Momotarou was a bit of an oddball that he sometimes could not handle on his own.

"Well, he's an...  _interesting_ character," the redhead finally said.

"So Rin, explain to us as to why you're here? I thought we had at five days left before the crew would arrive," Sousuke asked. As delighted as he was to see his loved one again after several weeks apart, he did not understand as to why he was alone. His finacé grinned.

"Oh, I snuck off the ship during the night. I needed to see the gorillas, but this..." Rin spun on his heel, his arms stretched out like he was preparing for flight. His eyes drank in the sweetness of the jungle, his ears stored the beautiful sounds, his nose inhaling the scent of the wind rustling through the leaves. "I never would have imagined such a sight in my life." Rin sniffed and indiscreetly wiped his eyes to rid them of forming tears.

"Aw, Rin. If I had known you would have cried, I would have brought you here so it'd just be the two of us," Sousuke teased. Rin stomped his foot and snarled.

"I am not crying!" he insisted. Seeing as the others were not convinced, Rin huffed. "Well, when can we go and see the gorillas?" There was silence in the camp, even behind him, where the animated conversation about beetles fell quiet. "What is it?"

"We can't go see them," Haruka responded first, stroking the petal of one yellow flower. He hoped to draw this bouquet soon.

"Why not?" Rin said in vexation.

"Because of Issa, Makoto said," Momotarou answered, lying on his back on the ground. "Gorillas are usually gentle and shy creatures, but Makoto said Issa is a very hostile silverback and will often get aggressive if he does not have his way," the ginger continued in a matter-of-fact tone. Rin raised an eyebrow but said nothing else except a soft "This sucks."

"I'm sorry," Makoto apologized suddenly, drawing circles in the dirt. Frowning, Haruka put the bouquet of flowers down on a nearby table and walked over. He patted Makoto's head.

"It's not your fault. Maybe we can study them from afar, or maybe you can even introduce us to one of your friends," Haruka said, offering an option. He still wished to see the gorillas. Yes, he had seen a few when he first met Makoto, but it was not enough. He did not just want to see them, he wanted to  _draw_ them as they moved, ate, breathed,  _existed_. However, if Makoto could not provide that, he would not force him to.

A soft rumbling came from within the brunette's chest as he nuzzled Haruka's palm. Then his eyes shot open, a bright light shining in them. "I have an idea!" He stood up straight and grabbed Haruka's wrists. "I'm going to need to borrow some garments from the few of you, though. Is that alright?"

"Um... sure? But why?"

* * *

Nagisa held out his hand in refusal. "No, no, no, no, no, and may I repeat myself?  _No_!" he shouted, turning his back on Makoto. He could not believe the nerve of that guy! He ditches him and Rei for a gaggle of animals that looked exactly like him, think he was too good for his real friends, and then has the audacity to come back and ask such a favor?! "You're not getting me to do anything for you!"

"Nagisa, that's too harsh," Rei hissed, not only to have a conversation between him and the gorilla. He had also hit his foot on a tree trunk that he did not see.

"I don't care. I don't even want to look at him!" the gorilla whispered back, his arms crossed. Makoto, groaning at the childlike manner of his old friend, grabbed a vine and swung over, landing on Rei's head with ease and grace. His eyebrows frowned, creasing his forehead.

"Nagisa, I'm asking this from you as a friend. Please do this for me," Makoto asked firmly. Nagisa still frowned.

"Well, I mean, I'd be willing to help you with whatever you need, Makoto," Rei said from underneath him.

"Well, I'm not," Nagisa reiterated. When he looked back, he saw  _the eyes_. "Oh no, no! Please don't! With the eyes and the smile, you-! Fine, fine!" Nagisa shouted, finally pulling away from the look Makoto gave him. He pointed a finger at his friend. "But don't make me do anything embarrassing."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeeeeessssss! Please follow, favorite, and leave a review! Follow me on Twitter as well, and I'll see y'all next chapter!


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Makoto has a plan but it may just be his worst one ever, and that's saying something (according to Nagisa).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

"I'm gonna kill him!" Nagisa screamed. He tugged at the scarf around his neck and scratched at the cloth of the oceanic-eyed human. When he told Makoto not to make him do anything embarrassing to distract Issa so the other creatures could see the gorillas, Nagisa meant the "don't make me do anything embarrassing" part. Makoto could have at least given him the clothes of the bigger man.

"Really? I-I think you look quite nice in that, Nagisa," Rei said, his trunk dressed like the tiniest of the humans. Nagisa ceased his screaming and grinned, twirling the curls on his head.

"Oh, really? Because I just thought that maybe it was too small on my arms and-" A loud roar interrupted the gorilla, followed by the large silverback bursting through the trees and banging his chest. "Run!" Nagisa screamed, Rei's thudding footsteps following him. Issa chased after the two animals, his focus only on the flashing clothing.

From a distance, Makoto watched the silverback chase his friends farther away from their troop's current location. So far, the plan was working. He pulled on Haruka's arm in the opposite direction of the running gorilla and elephant. "Come on, this way." He began to take longer strides, which made it more difficult for the raven to follow the brunette. The shooter, the redhead, and the primatologists followed slightly. Rin tightened his grip on Sousuke's hand. When they all heard a twig snapping, several of them jumped and looked around for the source of the noise. Makoto let go of Haruka's hand and walked toward something on his left. Curious eyes followed as the ape-man crouched down and began to make monkey noises. Haruka slowly approached and saw a gorilla. He recognized her. It was the gorilla that had backed away from Haruka in fear.

And she was doing the same thing at that moment.

Haruka crouched down to Makoto's level and began to do something incredibly embarrassing: he made soft monkey noises. Aiichiro and Momotarou clapped and joined in with the two crouching men. Sousuke gaped and turned to face his finacé.

"What are they doing? They're going to scare away the gorilla away!" he hissed. Rin only shrugged. Sousuke groaned. "Get up, you four! Get up! Get...  _Don't_ get up." The stoic man had looked up and was the first witness to the greatest thing any of them had ever seen. There, in the trees, were dozens of gorillas watching them from above. Haruka gasped and stood up. After all this time, he could finally see the gorillas up close. He turned back to face the female gorilla and smiled. Although still chary, she took a step forward.

"Makoto, she's so beautiful," Haruka said, finally finding his voice. The brunette grinned.

"She's my mother," he said. Haruka stared at him, his eyes moving between Makoto and the gorilla. Somehow, it made sense in his head. There were loud, high-pitched screeches from behind Haruka. He turned back around to see a baby gorilla banging its chest, almost as a challenge for dominance. Grinning, the raven knelt down to be more level with the infant. The baby eventually fell into Haruka's lap, making a sheepish noise. Haruka chuckled.

"It's very nice to meet you too, little one."

Aiichiro and Momotarou were overwhelmed. It had been their lifelong dream to see gorillas in their natural habitat, where they lived in comfort. Cheering, the primatologists hugged each other and jumped up and down. When they let go of each other, they noticed several gorillas surrounded them. One was daring enough to approach the two humans and tugged at Momotarou's shorts.

Rin chuckled as a younger gorilla searched his hair for whatever bugs it thought would be there. "Sousuke, look! They're grooming me!" The stoic man gave him an absentminded smile, holding a map and a marker.

"Yes, that's nice. This is perfect," the shooter said to himself, crossing an area of the map with an "X". He grinned when he felt something pull at the rifle on his back. "Hey, give that back! That is not something to be played with!" he shouted at the gorilla that held the rifle, ducking when the primate swung it around.

"Makoto, this is amazing," Haruka said to the ape-man. He cradled one of the babies in his arms. "I wouldn't really mind  _accidentally_ missing the ship and be left here. I don't think I'd ever tire of such beauty." Suddenly, Makoto couldn't breathe and gasped in air. "Hey, think you could teach me?" The brunette shook his head.

"Teach you what?"

"Gorilla."

"Oh, alright. Let's start with this. Ooh ooh." Haruka smiled.

"Ooh ooh," he repeated.

"Ee eh."

"Ee eh."

"Ooooh."

"Oooh."

"Ooooh," Makoto said again. Just when Haruka was about to repeat him again, the brunette grabbed his face to shift his lips to pronounce the noises better. Haruka tried again but only broke out in soft giggles. Makoto's heart jumped. "Say it all together." Haruka cleared his throat.

"Ooh ooh ee eh ooooh." The baby gorillas howled and cheered. The one that was being cradled jumped onto Haruka's shoulders and banged his chest. "My goodness! What did I say?"

"'Haruka is staying with Makoto,'" the ape-man translated. He was confused when the raven frowned and put the baby gorilla back down to the ground. "What's wrong? Are you not going to stay?"

"Makoto, I didn't actually mean what I said. I was just- I have a home back in Japan and-" Before Haruka could continue to explain in broken sentences, there was a loud scream and trumpet that sounded a second before a gorilla and an elephant broke through the brush. "Are those my clothes? Is that why you needed them?" he asked out loud, recognizing his garments the gorilla was apparently wearing.

"Run!" Nagisa screamed at the others, even though only Makoto and the other gorillas understood. However, the others would understand what was the cause of the pandemonium when a large silverback came through the same area as the gorilla and elephant. He looked around in shock at the humans. When his eyes landed on Makoto and Haruka, his lips pulled back and revealed his fangs. He howled and beat his chest before charging. Before anyone could do as much as scream, Makoto jumped to his feet and tackled Issa with as much force as he could. In a moment of tussling, he had the silverback in a full nelson. He brought his hands together and held them in place against the gorilla's throat.

"Go! Now!" he shouted orders to the other humans, all in shock. Sousuke was the first to snap out of it and grabbed Rin's hand. Aiichiro and Momotarou got up from the dirt they had been sitting on and ran as well. The smallest of the two grabbed Haruka's hand and tried to pull him away in the direction of where they had come. At first, the raven resisted.

"Wait! Makoto!" he shouted back. He was worried about the ape-man. What would happen once he left with the others?

"Go!" Makoto growled, his hold tightening. Finally, Haruka obeyed and ran with the others. When he was out of sight, Makoto let go of Issa. The gorilla gasped for air, holding his throat as if to protect it. The realization of what he had just done crashed down on the brunette. He stared at his hands. He had just used them to harm the one who kept their troop safe. "Issa, I'm sorry, but I couldn't-" Makoto tried to apologize.

"You promised to protect this family and to stay away from those strangers. And you broke that promise," Issa interrupted the apology, his tone unlike anything he had ever used on Makoto. The ape-man stared at his hands an=gain and, before Kellan could approach him, he ran off. When he disappeared, the entire troop turned to face the dressed gorilla and elephant.

"Uh, we can explain," Nagisa started before Rei placed his trunk on his shoulder.

"Nagisa, I think it's time you stopped talking."

* * *

Kellan found her son hiding in his tree, the one he always went to whenever he was upset. He was surrounded by the vines, his hands gripping one of them. She followed his gaze to the moon.

"I am so confused," he finally spoke after several minutes of silence. Sighing, Kellan gently grabbed her son's hand.

"Come with me. There's something I need to show you." She paused before adding, "I should have shown you this a long time ago." Kellan squeezed Makoto's hand, knowing that what she was about to show him could possibly change everything about their relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *screams from the abyss* Hope you enjoyed! Time to prepare for mess!


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Makoto needs to make a decision that will change his life forever, but soon discovers that he and his friends were betrayed, endangering the lives of his family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy! We're drawing to an end...

Makoto followed his mother in an area of the jungle that he didn't recognize. He could hear the blue crashing against the rocks on the shore. He had heard Haruka call it "the ocean" and Sousuke "the sea", which confused the brunette a little but had asked no questions. As he felt the ground incline, he looked up and saw a tree that was unlike the surrounding trees. He remembered several pictures Haruka had shown him. This tree was also a treehouse, but the wood was worn down and broken apart in some places. He looked at Kellan in confusion. Why would she bring him to this place? She didn't notice his staring though; she had found the dirt interesting.

"Mom?" Makoto said to finally get her attention. She only continued to walk ahead of him and climbed the tree. Makoto followed silently. When they reached the top, Kellan waited a moment before pushing open the door. The last time she had been here, the bodies were still there and the floor was clean. Now, there were vines growing everywhere and she couldn't find the bodies. That hellish beast must have taken them away a long time ago. "Mom, where are we?" the brunet tried again. He joined inside the treehouse and looked around. He felt something on his foot, the same moment there was the sound of broken glass. Looking down, he moved his foot to see shards of glass and a picture frame.

Kellan stepped away to give her son space. He would need it. When Makoto looked back at her to see what he should do, she only said, "Go look. You should know who you really are." The brunet examined the picture frame before turning it over. It was dusty on the other side, but Makoto wiped it clean with his knuckles. The picture revealed two people, a man and woman. Although the picture was in sepia tones and faded, it was easy to tell both the man and woman had dark brown hair. They had kind eyes that drooped slightly. The man had on glasses. Both of them were wearing formal clothing and had solemn expressions. The woman was noticeably shorter than the man. However, the most significant part of the picture was that the woman was holding a baby. The baby's eyes were wide open with wonder. He had a small patch of hair that was messy and somewhat spiked. He had a soft smile as well.

"Is this... me?" Makoto finally spoke. His hair resembled the baby's. But how could that be? He touched the baby's face. He had really chubby cheeks. His mother used to say that he had chubby cheeks. "Yes" was the only thing his mother said. Makoto touched the man and woman's faces. It was as if two wires connected in his mind, a light bulb flicking on over his head. "And this is my father and my mo... my mother." He turned back to face his mother. Could he call her that now? She had raised him, loved him, nurtured him. She had earned the right to be his mother. She  _was_ his mother. She  _is_ his mother.

"Now you know," Kellan said in a tight voice. Makoto approached her and hugged her.

"What happened to them?" he whispered softly.

"Do you remember Agu, the leopard Issa killed years ago?" Makoto remembered. Agu was violent and had killed many innocent creatures, most for sport. Before Kellan took Makoto in, Agu had killed her infant. Years later, he had tried to do the same thing, but Issa had killed the leopard before it could happen. Makoto was forever grateful of Issa since he had almost been a victim of Agu's. His fingers dug into his mother's fur. "I know, I know. It's difficult to process. I had lost my baby to Agu just before I found you here. It was like fate. I had found your parents here, dead. Agu got to them and almost found you." She sniffled. "I almost lost you twice."

"Hey, it's okay. I'm still here," Makoto reassured her softly. He looked around the treehouse. "What should I do now?"

"Whatever it is you feel is best for you. Whatever you choose," Kellan said, "I will support your decision." She left him alone in the treehouse, waiting on the balcony. Makoto looked around. So this was where he came from. He walked around slowly to absorb the past he didn't remember. He found an oar propped against the wall. Whoever it had belonged to, his parents had sailed here somehow. Perhaps a voyage to discover the unknown? It didn't matter. They ended up here, built a home together for them and their son, and were killed by a leopard. He accidentally kicked something on the floor. Looking down, he saw it was a gun, almost the same as Sousuke's. There were empty shell casings littered on the floor. He smiled sadly as he pushed the casings aside with his foot.

They died protecting him. Whoever his parents were in life, he was grateful for them. He loved them, even though he never knew them. His gaze shifted from inside the treehouse to Kellan outside of it. Sighing, Makoto began to search.

Kellan waited patiently for her son to make a decision. She whimpered. No matter what she did or could do, she would never be able to think of Makoto as anything but her son. She turned back around when she heard his footfalls. However, they were different this time. She gasped softly when she saw him all dressed up in a suit. She understood why his footsteps sounded different- he was wearing shoes. Makoto straightened out as many wrinkles as he could before looking up to see his mother holding back tears. He kneeled down and held her face, his thumbs wiping away the tears that escaped.

"No matter where I go, you will always be my mother," he said to comfort her. She exhaled shakily.

"And you will always be in my heart," she choked out before sobbing, holding her son in her arms one last time.

* * *

"I think you'll really like Japan. Maybe we can visit my hometown first," Haruka said, telling Makoto of what they could possibly do when they arrive at the nation. The brunette smiled and turned his gaze to the ocean. It was so... vast. It seemed so peaceful but had the vibe of something dangerous. Makoto shivered slightly. "Makoto, are you alright?" the raven across from him asked. To ease the worry in the oceanic eyes, the tanned man smiled. Although not entirely convinced, Haruka smiled back.

"Ooh, Makoto-san, I think you're going to love Tokyo!" Aiichiro exclaimed. "It's such a beautiful city, bustling with activity!"

"I can show you my beetle kits on the ship!" Momotarou cheered, shouting a loud "Yahoo!" before Sousuke hissed at him to quiet down.

"Yes, all of that would be nice. Don't overwhelm him, okay?" the stoic man ordered. Rin chuckled.

"Sousuke, I can take over rowing. You'll strain yourself." Sousuke only humphed through his nose and continued rowing. Rin flashed his sharp teeth at Makoto. "Ready for an adventure of a lifetime?" Haruka rolled his eyes. The redhead seemed to have a dramatic flair in him.

"Sure," Makoto giggled.

"Here we are. Here, hold the ladder." Sousuke handed the rope ladder to Makoto. He climbed first, Rin following, then the two primatologists. Haruka and Makoto remained on the small boat.

"I do hope you enjoy Japan. Maybe it'll become your new home," Haruka said softly. The brunette grabbed his hand and squeezed it gently.

"Home is wherever you are, Haru," he whispered. He returned his grip to the ladder and helped a flustered Haruka up. He stared back at the trees of the jungle. That was his old home. He was leaving for good. He didn't say goodbye to his friends. That would hurt even more to see them all so upset. Taking a deep breath, Makoto scaled the ladder and jumped onto the deck.

"Makoto!" Haruka screamed before a sailor's hand covered his mouth. Startled by the sudden change, Makoto's head turned from left to right. He was surrounded by men bigger than he was. Acting on his instincts, he dashed past them and began to climb one of the masts. Many daring men chased after him. Most fell, but one was able to grab Makoto's ankle and pull him down. Two men held him by his arms. He tried to kick but their grip only tightened. Looking up and panting, Makoto saw Sousuke approaching him, a slightly shorter but more muscular man following him.

"Sousuke! Help me, please!" the brunette cried out. Sousuke unslung the rifle from his back and pointed it against Makoto's chin. He sneered.

"Do I know you?" Makoto snarled at the larger man's remark. "Ah, yes! I do know you. You're the rabid ape-man. I have to say, thank you for helping me find the gorillas. You really did do me and my cousin a favor. Take him down to the hull with the others," Sousuke ordered.

"What about your financé and his sister, Sousuke?" the man behind the mentioned asked. He pointed with his thumb over his shoulder. Makoto shifted to see Rin and a young woman that looked much like him struggling against the sailors that held them. Sousuke sighed with an almost guilty expression.

"Same with the others." The other man saluted before running to give the orders to the men. Rin screamed and spat curses at Sousuke, the young woman sobbing. Makoto growled and bared his teeth.

"How could you?" he demanded, straining his voice. Turning to face him, Sousuke was a blank slate before suddenly kneeing the brunette in the stomach, making him drop to his knees on the deck.

"What did I just tell you idiots? Take him to the hull!" he shouted. This time, the men obeyed. Even in pain, Makoto gathered the urge to scream.

* * *

"You should have asked for directions!" Nagisa shouted at the elephant. He gasped when he saw the small boat had already departed and was almost at the ship. "No, we're too late! Dang it, dang it,  _dang it_!" The gorilla lifted a rock over his head and threw it into the water.

"We didn't even get a chance to say goodbye," Rei muttered sorrowly. Nagisa grumbled under his breath.

"Yeah, well, we didn't need you anyway, Makoto! Go on, get out of here! Get out!" he screamed at the distant boat. He glared at the elephant watching him. "What are you looking at?"

"I'm going to miss him as well, Nagisa." The gorilla sniffled and wiped his nose.

"Whatever. Let's get out of here," he ordered, climbing back onto the elephant's head. To try and cheer him up, Rei began to tell the story of when they had all first met- Nagisa had dared Makoto to get an elephant's hair in order to hang out with his friends. At that time, Rei believed Makoto was a piranha and was going to bite them all to bits. He was cut off when both he and the gorilla heard a scream in the distance. They both recognized it.

"Was that Makoto? Nagisa, do you think he is in trouble?" Rei asked urgently. Nagisa huffed and crossed his arms.

"Like I care. Let's get out of here." Rei groaned and grabbed Nagisa by the waist with his trunk.

"Now, I've just about had it with this attitude of yours. You got away with it in the past, but not this time! Makoto is our friend, and we're going to help him!" Rei began to run in the direction of the ship, Nagisa screaming for him to stop. Suddenly, it was as if the ground dropped from under the elephant as they fell into the water. Rei burst through the surface and laughed. "That was amazing! I must have looked beautiful!"

"No, I think you looked like a beached whale with fat legs running to the water!" Nagisa screamed, annoyed with how wet he was. Rei slapped him on the arm. "Now, let's go help Makoto!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so it begins!


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Makoto and the others must save the gorillas before it's too late and Sousuke and his men capture or kill any of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH MY GOD! Here it is, the second to last chapter! I love you all!
> 
> TW: Some blood, but hopefully not too unbearable.

Makoto lunged at the walls, slamming his shoulder and banging his fists against metal. He couldn't believe it. He unknowingly handed his family over to that... that traitor! He was disgusted, mostly with himself. He growled and threw himself once more.

"Makoto. Makoto. Makoto!" Haruka reiterated, watching the man attempt to free them all from where they were held. He reached out to touch his shoulder. At the sudden contact, Makoto flinched and bared his teeth before relaxing, recognizing the other's blue eyes. "Calm down. It's alright."

"Sousuke," the brunette said through pants, realizing just how exhausted he was. Haruka's mouth stretched into a firm, straight line.

"Yes, Sousuke betrayed us all." Rin growling, slamming his own fist against the wall.

"I told him how I felt about the gorillas. He knows that. Why would he do this?" the redhead grumbled. He stared at the engagement ring on his left hand before wrenching it off his finger, throwing it across the ship. He covered his face with his palms, his fingers digging into his scalp. Gou rubbed her brother's back and gazed at the others sympathetically.

"We have to do something to get out of here and save those gorillas," she said with determination in her gentle voice. Momotarou groaned.

"Gou-san, we can't! We'll never get out of here!" the ginger whined. Aiichiro stood up from the crates he sat on and paced.

"Oh, those poor gorillas. They'll be trapped in cages and be put through who knows what. Why is this world so cruel?!" the sylphlike man cried out before being the third to hit the metal. Suddenly, the boat lurched to the side, Aiichiro bodyslamming onto the wall, the others sliding or tumbling. The vessel then lurched back and sent the people below falling back to their original positions. When the ship finally stopped shifting, the grey-haired man laughed and joked, "Who knew I could be this strong?" He screamed when he heard a crash above his head. Makoto got up and listened closely.

There was a trumpet noise, sounding oddly like an elephant. Makoto grinned.

"Rei!" he shouted.

The elephant heard the ape-man, alright. So did the gorilla that was with him. Most of the men aboard the ship didn't hear Makoto though. It was probably due to the fact that the men were either unconscious after trying to attack the pachyderm or were sent overboard and have their heads below water as they try to swim away. Rei searched for where his friend could possibly be. He was about to ask Nagisa, who was currently throwing another man overboard, where he heard Makoto's voice when one of his feet broke through the boards. In fact, he was standing on the grates that prevented his friend and the other humans from escaping.

"Rei, Nagisa! We're down here!" Makoto shouted. The elephant cheerfully trumpeted through his trunk, the gorilla banging his chest excitedly. He grinned at the others. "Let us get out of here." He grabbed hold of Rei's trunk and, grasping Haruka's waist, pulled the both of them up. He helped the elephant out of the hole in the deck and laughed.

"Thank you, Makoto," Rei thanked sheepishly.

"Help the others out. You too, Nagisa," the brunette ordered. The gorilla shrugged but complied. Makoto smiled. "Thank you for coming." With a surprised expression, Nagisa beamed.

"Eh, it was not that big of a deal. Anything for a friend." Rei groaned at that for some reason. He lowered his trunk to aid the humans. They all separated to gather their things and to find a boat large enough to take them all to shore and stop Sousuke from harming any of the gorillas. Rin had grabbed his rifle from his cabin and was about to leave quickly when he ran into his sister.

"Let me come with you," Gou said firmly. Rin chuckled and gently moved his sister to the side.

"I'm sorry, Gou, but I can't allow that. You might get hurt and I don't know what I'd do if you were because of my poor decision to let you tag along." Gou stomped her foot, digging the heel of her boot into the wooden floorboards.

"I'll be fine," she said, "if you give me your rifle." Rin flinched, clutching the gun close to his chest.

"What? Gou, no! Absolutely no way will I let you handle something like this!" Suddenly, it was as if his sister had gained the paralyzing abilities of Medusa, her glare hardened and his body becoming more frozen. Shrinking back, the redheaded man groaned. "Fine, I'll let you hold it! But be careful, alright? It's really dangerous!" Gou only smirked and swung the rifle around so it was on her back.

"You worry too much" was all she said before leaving the bedroom. Rin groaned and followed close behind her.

* * *

Hiyori jolted at the sudden thudding passing by him. At first, he thought it was Rei or Ayumu, but then he saw a gathering of large humans running. Some were holding the loud sticks in their hands, while others had these weird boxes with bars. Most had long snake lookalikes around their bodies. Silently, he slithered over to where Ikuya was napping and flicked his tail in his face. "Ikuya, wake up."

"What?" the mole snake groaned, annoyed at being awoken just when he felt like he had fallen asleep. Hiyori hit his face again. "Alright, alright. I'm up. What is it?"

"Look at the humans," the mamba pointed out to the running men farther away. Suddenly, Ikuya was more alert. "What?"

"They're heading in the direction of the gorillas. This doesn't look good."

"What should we do, Ikuya?" The mole snake hissed determinedly.

"Baboons," he said simply.

"Are you sure? They can get pretty rowdy."

"Which is exactly what we need. You know, I heard one of them, I think Asahi, stole one of the nicer human's boots." Hiyori cackled. "Alright, shut up. We have to find the baboons and keep those bad humans away from the gorillas."

* * *

Sousuke tightened his grip on his rifle. He chuckled to himself. His cousin and the crewmen had placed bets on when he would get them lost and miss the gorillas. However, they had all lost; the gorillas were right in front of them. He should have placed a bet. He turned to face his men, a smug grin on his visage.

"Alright," he whispered, "capture as many as you can. Don't kill them; that's my job. You'll just make a mess and then there will be no money. Understand?" The men nodded. Sousuke faced his cousin. "On my count, Kazu-nii. One... two...  _three_."

_BANG!_  The first shot rang out, startling the gorillas.

The pirates and Kazuma looked at Sousuke, bewildered. His finger was nowhere near the trigger. He searched left and right before thinking of looking up.

There, hidden in the treetops, was Makoto, dressed in his usual lack of attire. He growled, slowly descending from the thick branches to be closer to the hunters and pirates on ground level. Behind him, Sousuke recognized all the people he had ordered to be locked in the hull of the ship: Haruka, Aiichiro, Momotarou, Gou (who was holding a rifle for some reason), and...

Rin.

Sighing, Sousuke closed his eyes before ignoring the shame and aiming at one of the gorillas. He recognized the silver fur on its back.

"No!" the ape-man shouted, kicking the gun away from the larger man, just before he could pull the trigger. Landing roughly on his side, Sousuke coughed. He glared at his men.

"What are you waiting for?! I said 'three'! Get the gorillas, you idiots!" he shouted. The pirates scrambled and lifted the cages and tied the ropes into loops. The gorillas screeched as they ran away. However, their scattering made it more difficult for escape and there were already at least five of the beasts captured.

"Help me!" Makoto begged through grunts, hoping that his friends would hear him. Not just his human ones, but those hidden in the brush. Proving him right, Rei burst through the trees, followed closely by Ayumu. The young hippo groaned as she toppled over several running men down. Nagisa joined the humans to free the captured gorillas. Rin attacked with only his fists. He was not the largest man there, but he was strong and his rage would make the demons of hell quiver in fear. Unbeknownst to him, Gou was aiming his rifle at several of the men, making it clear that if they so much as moved a muscle, she would shoot. Many fell to the ground to show their surrender.

Haruka had to help somehow. The primatologists were cutting away the ropes that trapped some of the gorillas. As he searched, he gasped. Two men were breaking away, carrying a cage between them. He recognized the gorilla.

Makoto's mother.

The dark-haired man looked behind him. Makoto didn't notice his mother being taken away; he was far too occupied in pushing Sousuke away from the gorillas and messing up his aim. Everyone else was busy with holding off the pirates. Sighing, the raven knew what he had to do. Nervously reaching out for one of the vineyards in front of him, Haruka grabbed hold and swung down. Groaning deep in his throat as the wind blew past his face at a higher speed, he swayed to the side so he would kick the man in front of the cage with full force. He grunted as he let go of the vine and landed on top of the pirate. The second man fell, the cage collapsing on his hands. He screamed before Haruka also kicked him in the face.

The female gorilla was panicking, gripping the bars of the cage tightly. Haruka gently stroked his fingers. The small gesture seemed to calm her. "It's alright. I'm going to get you out. Let me just... figure this out."

Makoto wrested the rifle from Sousuke's arms before throwing it as far as he could. The normally stoic man chased after the weapon, giving Makoto the chance to look for Haruka. He found the man and leapt into action. While Haruka was busy trying to pry open a cage, Kazuma was silently approaching him from behind, a crowbar in his hands. Makoto jumped into the air, hoping his aim was true.

The softer landing and the pained groan told him that he was accurate. The brunet grabbed the crowbar from the older man's hands and held it slightly away from him. By then, Haruka had noticed him and grabbed the piece of metal that was unknowingly going to be used against him.

"Ah! Makoto, that's perfect." Using all of his strength, the raven shoved the crowbar in between the cage door and wiggled about. He grunted in annoyance. He couldn't open it.

He felt large, warm hands grab his smaller ones. Makoto helped Haruka push the crowbar up. It cracked open, and the two young men pushed the door up. The ape-man held out his hand to help Kellan out of the confinement. He touched the side of her face and smiled. She looked up at him tearfully.

"You came back," she whispered. Makoto bent down slightly to meet her gaze and shook his head.

"I came  _home_ ," he corrected. He heard the leaves above them rustling. Both humans and the gorilla looked up to a rather interesting sight. Makoto grinned. "Haru, I think I may have found your boot."

Above them was a large gathering of baboons, lead by the same ones that had chased Haruka all those weeks ago. He even noticed the baby who had started all the trouble in the first place, balancing on the baboon with curled hair on his head. The baby was wearing Haruka's boot as a hat. The artist jumped when he heard a sudden hiss nearby. Looking down, he saw a green mamba and a mole snake. He had a feeling he knew these reptiles as well. Makoto sure did if his communication was anything to go by.

"I'm impressed with the two of you. Teaming up with Asahi and Kisumi? Smart move," the brunet complimented the reptiles. He pointed at the men. "I think you all understand what you must do."

"Attack!" Asahi, the baboon with fire-like hair, howled. Kisumi repeated him, and so did his little brother, Hayato. The wave of baboons crashed down on the unsuspecting pirates. As a surprise, Hayato jumped into Haruka's arms and kissed his cheek. The raven grinned and chuckled softly.

"Never got the chance to say it, but keep the boot," he muttered to the baby baboon. Makoto giggled, but all joy soon ceased at the scene before him.

Sousuke had found the rifle and was replacing the gunpowder that had spilled out. Issa rushed towards the human, his teeth bared and cried out. The gorilla banged his chest for intimidation. Makoto moved as quickly as he could but not soon or quick enough. The armed man reacted faster than anyone else. He aimed and pulled the trigger.

" _Nooooo!_ " Makoto screamed. Issa's howls were cut off by his own pained gasp before he fell forward. The world blurred as he tackled Sousuke, pushing him away from everyone else. The brunet vaguely registered Aiichiro and Momotarou coming to Issa's aid. He can see himself punching the slightly larger man in the face, something he would never do to anyone. He wasn't sure if he was in complete control but he didn't care. He slammed Sousuke onto the ground repeatedly and screamed at the top of his lungs, " _How could you, you monster?! What is wrong with you? I could kill you right now!_ " Even though he was in the moment, Makoto knew that was the one thing he could never do. Pushing the armed man one last time, the ape-man grabbed several vines and climbed up. When he was high enough, he challenged, "Fight me like a man, Sousuke!"

Sousuke grinned and slung the rifle onto his back. As he tightened his grip on the vines and pulled himself up, the intimidating man answered the brunet's questions in his head. There was nothing wrong with him, he just needed money. Rin deserved so much in life and most of it Sousuke couldn't afford. Gorillas were valuable in the market, dead and alive. He hated it at first but eventually learned to block out the guilt and change his thinking. He had hoped that he could take the beasts away in secret but the discovery of Makoto had basically ruined his entire plan and had to revise his strategy. He also wanted to help his cousin as well. Kazu-nii owned the family restaurant but it was not serving as many customers as before. Worried that he may go out of business, Sousuke has hoped to make enough money to not only treat Rin like a king but to support his cousin in case the restaurant shut down.

"Oh, don't worry, you little prick! When this is all over, you're going to wish you had stayed on the ship!" Sousuke shouted, just before a sharp clap of thunder cut through the air. The clouds opened and let the raindrops fall. He almost lost his grip but Sousuke continued to climb. He looked up, squinting his eyes, but he couldn't see Makoto through the rain and the falling of night. Growling, he pulled himself higher until he found a branch that seemed capable of supporting him. He ducked under the leaves so whatever gunpowder he had left wouldn't become wet from the rain.

He shot at the twigs that snapped near his right. Nothing came out. The moment his shoulders relaxed slightly, Sousuke fell over as Makoto barreled into him from right in front of him. His head cracked against the tree bark, hard enough to hurt but not with the sufficient force to cause an injury. Sousuke groaned and opened his eyes, slowly bringing his gun over his shoulder.

Unfortunately, Makoto saw right through him and lunged at the rifle. It was a dangerous game of tug-of-war before the brunet held the gun and aimed it directly under Sousuke's chin, just as he had done not too long ago. Sousuke sneered.

"So this is how it ends, huh? At least you fight like a man and not a beast," the targeted man taunted. Makoto growled and shoved the barrel closer to the other's neck, his finger on the trigger, twitching to pull.

_BANG!_

Sousuke flinched away before realizing he was still alive. Opening his eyes, he saw Makoto's lips moving as the sound faded away. He had pulled the same trick from earlier- mimicking the rifle's blast.

"I'm not a man like you!" Makoto cried out before slamming the rifle down on the tree branch with tremendous strength and force, breaking the rifle and somehow not the branch along with it. In shock, Sousuke tackled the ape-man. He punched Makoto in the face several times, one hit hitting him square on the nose and blood began to flow. Still, the brunet repeatedly screamed, "You're a monster!" Sousuke raised his fist again. a frenzied grin on his face.

_BANG!_

Sousuke screamed and fell over, giving Makoto the chance to escape from underneath him. The larger man wailed, clutching his right shoulder, his shirt and hand stained in blood. Wiping away at his own fluids on his face, Makoto looked down.

Far below on the ground, he saw the young woman, Gou, aiming the gun she was holding in his direction. She lowered it and the brunet could see a rather visible smirk on her face. She was proud of her shot. She even burst out laughing when she saw the shocked expression on her brother's face. Makoto returned his gaze to the injured man and frowned. Sousuke hissed as he tried to change his position.

"Pathetic, aren't I? Might as well kill me now. The gorilla I shot is doomed. Just do it, make it easier for the rest of us," he winced. He waited for some sort of blow. Instead, he felt an arm wrap around his waist before lifting him up. He watched Makoto swing down the tree with the surrounding vines as if he were not in his own body, almost as if he was a spirit watching the world pass by and he could say nothing about it. The ape-man landed softly and sat the larger man against the tree trunk before leaving his side. Replacing him was Rin, worry in his eyes.

"Sousuke, you're hurt! How bad is it? Gou, you should have been more careful! You could have accidentally killed him or Makoto!" the redhead scolded his sister. She crossed her arms.

"I'm a good shot. I've never missed before," Gou simply stated. Rin growled and faced the injured man again.

"Are you alright?" Sousuke nodded slowly, his grip on his shoulder never loosening. Rin sighed contently before he punched Sousuke's uninjured arm as hard as he could. "How could you do this?! What were you thinking?!"

"I was thinking about our financial future, Rin!" Sousuke shouted. "Do you think I wanted to do this? I  _hate_ what I do, but I did it for you! You want all these extravagant things, and I want to give them to you. Yet we don't have the damned money for it! I just- You... You're not wearing your ring," he observed, seeing the now bare finger. "Rin..."

"We have a lot to talk about when we return home. But first," the redhead stood up and held out a hand for the other, "we have to see about your shoulder. Let's hope it's not too damaged or else it'll be surgery for you."

"But Rin, the wedding-"

"Don't assume we'll have a wedding at this point in time. We'll see to that when we get back to Japan." Rin put his hair up in a ponytail before walking away, Sousuke and Gou close behind. Even though he was clearly angry, he still chose to intertwine his fingers with Sousuke's larger ones.

Aiichiro and Momotarou watched the three of them walk away in the direction of the ship. The two of them joined Makoto, who was cradling the gasping silverback. Haruka was kneeling beside him.

"M... Makoto," Issa whispered, his breathing becoming more labored with every second. His hand touched the side of the man's face, smearing some of the blood still there.

"Sh, be quiet. It'll be okay," Makoto hushed, wishing he could ease the pain the silverback was surely feeling.

"N-No, I need to- to tell you I'm... I'm sorry," the gorilla gasped. "I'm sorry for how I've treated you and... and your friends. I was wrong to- to assume. I'm sorry."

"It's alright. Don't apologize," Makoto's voice cracked as he tried to hold back tears. "Issa..."

"Makoto... the others will look... up to you now. Take care of this family." The ape-man's eyes widened and shook the silverback slightly as if to keep him awake just a little longer.

"What? No, I-I can't lead them! That's your job, please don't leave." By now, his voice broke and the tears began to fall, his shoulders shaking. He felt Haru wrap his arms around him in comfort. It helped a little.

"Take care... of them... my son." Issa shuddered slightly like his body was far too cold, which it was. Makoto smiled sadly, hoping Issa could see his face one last time so he'd remember him. "You were... always... my  _son_... Take care of them...  _Take care of them..._ " he reiterated until his eyes closed, his head lulled to the side, and his hand fell from Makoto's face to the ground. Gently, Makoto laid the gorilla down flat and slowly stood up. The other animals and humans watched him as he approached the rock from when he first confronted Issa about the strangers in the jungle. He looked over his shoulder and watched them all before turning to trek deeper into the labyrinth of trees. Only the animals followed. Not even Haruka joined as he watched the man he had slowly grown closer to over these past few weeks. He understood this was a precious moment and that he had to let Makoto go be who he needed to be.

Who cared if he loved him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thus, we draw to the end. See y'all next chapter! Thank you for the support!


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where it all resolves and life goes right for everyone. Well, except for the bad guys.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the last chapter of this story! Thank you all so much for joining the ride! Enjoy!

Rin grunted, using all his strength to push the small boat out into the water. Sousuke winced, the jostling of the boat shifting his injured shoulder's position. Rin had wrapped it to prevent more bleeding. It wasn't enough; they needed to return home as soon as possible so a doctor can determine whether or not there were broken bones and if he needed only stitches or surgery. Rin started to reach out for him but pulled away. He was still angry, but it didn't mean he couldn't still care for the man that he fell in love with, his best friend. He reached out again and cupped Sousuke's cheek, rubbing the skin with his thumb. The redhead smiled warmly at the injured man, which comforted him. Rin jumped into the boat. Gou, who was with them, did her best to steady the wooden vessel. Rin smirked.

"So, you said you never missed a shot before? How are you so sure if that was your first time shooting?" Gou laughed out loud and handed the oars to her brother. Sousuke was in no condition to row and it'd be difficult to do the task with only one arm.

"Whoever said that was my first time shooting?" Rin's rowing faltered for a moment. He stared at his sister. "You have a second rifle at home. Whenever you're gone, I go out into the woods and set up targets to practice. Sometimes, when you were in Australia, Sousuke taught me."

"Sousuke!" Rin cried out. The larger man chuckled. He was filled with nostalgia. He enjoyed teaching Gou. She was a good student and was determined to be a great shot.

"How could I ever say no to her, Rin? She wouldn't stop bothering me either." Rin shook his head and groaned.

Haruka, Aiichiro, and Momotarou remained ashore; there wouldn't be enough room on the small boats for all six of them. The captain and other passengers were able to capture the pirates and were finished bringing them to the ship, locking them up in the hull. They could see the captain of the ship returning for the three of them. Haruka turned back and walked towards Makoto, who was waiting for their departure. The artist wrung his gloves. Makoto was silent, waiting for the other to speak.

"I suppose this is goodbye," Haruka finally said, his voice cracking. He coughed but his throat still felt tight. He didn't want to leave Makoto here. He wanted to bring him with to Japan and see the sights. But there was something in him that didn't want that. He didn't want to take Makoto away from his only home. Haruka had to admit to himself that Japan didn't always feel like home, more like a place he could stay at. There was a part of him that almost wanted to  _stay here with Makoto._  Haruka shook his head at the absurdity. He stuck out his hand. "It was the greatest of all pleasures to know you, Makoto."

The ape-man held out his hand as well, but instead of shaking the delicate hand like he was taught, he pressed their palms together and spread their fingers together. It was just like how they first met, and now this would be how they part. Makoto smiled, his lips and eyes telling Haruka what he would not say-  _This is an "I love you," not a "Goodbye."_

Haruka shuddered, his hand gripping the larger one before he dropped his arm and walked away toward the captain's boat. He wiped the incoming tears from his eyes and joined the primatologists, pulling on his gloves. He did his best not to look back. He knew if he did, he would never leave.

"Bye Makoto, we'll miss you!" Momotarou shouted through cupped hands. He waved desperately at the brunet. Finally calming down, Momotarou turned to face the other men. "Aw, I'll miss him so much. He was great! Don't you agree, Nanase-san?" The man did not respond.

"Why don't you go back?" Aiichiro suggested out of the blue. Haruka gasped as if he was offended, even though he had been thinking the exact same thing just minutes ago.

"I can't just stay. What will happen when you all return to Japan and I don't? I already made up my mind, I'm returning to Japan," the raven insisted. Aiichiro smiled sympathetically.

"It's quite obvious you love Makoto, and he loves you back. So why deny yourself and him that kind of happiness when you clearly deserve it?" Haruka stared at his gloved hands. His bottom lip trembled and finally looked back to shore. He saw animals coming out of the trees from his peripheral vision, but his gaze focused and locked onto Makoto. He breathed easily and suddenly stood up. He grinned at Aiichiro and Momotarou from over his shoulder and mouthed "Thank you." He removed his gloves and dove into the cool water, swimming harder than he had ever swum before.

"What the hell?" the captain shouted, holding onto his cap. He turned to the two young men still on the boat. "What should I tell the others, his family?" Aiichiro rubbed his chin with his finger.

"Oh! Um, just say that you could not find him and he's still on the island, most likely alive, just lost. He told us of his parents during our stay there. They travel a lot so I don't think they'll know about this for a long time." The captain scratched his head but nodded in agreement. Young people these days, he thought. They did the craziest things.

* * *

"Makoto, wait! Look!" Rei shouted, pointing his trunk out into the vast blue. "There's something in the water!" Nagisa groaned.

"Please don't say a piranha!" the young gorilla retorted. Makoto turned around and squinted his eyes. Rei was right, something was in the water and was swimming...

_Towards him._

He yelped when that "something" stood up and jumped into his arms and shouting "Makoto!" It was Haruka. The ape-man held him up and was surprised when the smaller man grabbed his face and kissed him on the lips. When the raven pulled away, his eyes widened at what he had done.

"Oh god, I- Wow, um. That was not appropriate, I'm so..." Haruka's sentence broke off as Makoto tilted his head up and brought their lips together again, giving them both the chance to participate and deepen the kiss. They ignored Nagisa's cry of disgust.

When the two men pulled away once more, they took notice of their little audience. Makoto chuckled nervously, his cheeks turning pink. Haruka smiled and approached the baby gorillas closest to him. Makoto followed him and smiled.

"Oh, let me tell them that you-" Haruka cut him off with his hand. He cleared his throat and bent down.

"Ooh ooh ee eh ooooh." Makoto's mouth fell open. Haruka remembered what he taught him. The baby gorillas howled with joy. The human that Mako loved was going to stay with them! Still cheering, the animals ran back into the jungle. Makoto laughed, grabbed Haruka's hand, and lead the way for him.

* * *

"Well, would you look at that," Rin said, watching the scene on the shore from the ship deck. Sousuke hummed.

"That's a nice sight to see. Ow," the larger man winced in pain. Rin stroked his arm, hoping to soothe the pain in some way. "I'm okay, Rin, really." The redhead nodded before digging around in his pocket.

"Hey, one of the passengers found this for me." He held up an object between his fingers. Sousuke realized it was his ring, the one he had removed the previous day. He watched as Rin put the ring back on, clenching and unclenching his hand and grinned.

"Rin..."

"If two complete strangers can fall in love with each other in a few weeks and know each other better than anyone else, that should give us hope for a future together. Don't think I'm still pissed," Rin continued, jabbing a finger at Sousuke's chest, "but that doesn't mean I want to give up on what we had. What we  _have._ " He paused. "I love you, Sousuke." The larger man smiled and moved his uninjured arm so he could touch Rin's face, bringing it closer to his lips and planted a soft kiss on his nose.

"I love you, too, Rin."

The ship sailed away from the coast, taking with it a couple hoping to fix their future and leaving another couple building their future.

One couple was swinging happily in the vines, howling and shouting to break the silence of the jungle, the other couple gathering as much money as they could to pay for the shoulder surgery.

One couple had to figure out how to live as the leaders of the troop, the other couple had to figure out how to live on such a low income.

Nevertheless, they were all happy.

The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I hope you all enjoyed "The Ape-Man of the Jungle"! I love you all.
> 
> -love_a_sexy_trash_can


End file.
